Welcome
Deputy Head of Mission and Embassy Departments
The Ambassador is assisted in his work by the individual departments of the embassy. Find out more about their duties and contact details.
Deputy Head of Mission Christian Doktor
Christian Doktor has been the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in London since July 2025. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Chief Speechwriter to the Chancellor of Germany and Head of Division at the Federal Chancellery, having previously served as Chief Speechwriter to the Federal Foreign Minister.
Christian is a career diplomat whose previous positions include Head of Political Affairs at the Permanent Delegation of Germany to NATO and Spokesperson for the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York. He worked at the German Embassy in Kabul in 2010-11 and held various positions at the German Foreign Office in Berlin, including in the Directorate-General for Europe, the Directorate-General for Legal Affairs, the Task Force on Afghanistan/Pakistan, and the Parliament and Cabinet Division.
Christian studied German and International Law at the universities of Bonn, Geneva and Cologne. He was born in Iserlohn, Germany in 1979.
Department for Culture and Education
The Culture and Education section promotes bilateral relations in culture, education and sports between Germany and the United Kingdom. Our particular focus is on: culture and sports (fine arts, music, theatre, dance, literature, film, architecture and creative design, religion and interfaith dialogue), education and German language learning, history and commemoration.
Head of Section: Dr Susanne Frane
The Defence Attaché Staff
One of its major tasks is to advise the Ambassador on defence policy, military affairs, armament policy, defence technology and procurement. It also coordinates arrangements for German service personnel posted to the United Kingdom.
It issues information on German defence policy, armed forces and armaments on request to UK government officials and non-governmental organisations, and it deals with a wide range of public enquires.
Head of Section: Brigadier General Torsten Gersdorf, Defence Attaché
The Political Department
The Embassy's Political Department observes UK, foreign and domestic policy based on contacts with the UK Government, Parliament and non-governmental institutions.
In addition, political officers inform British partners and organisations about political developments within Germany and its foreign and European policy.
Head of Department: Serap Ocak
The Press Section
The German Embassy's press section is the first point of contact for journalists in the United Kingdom seeking information on government positions or other issues related to Germany.
The Press Section also offers a range of print material on Germany for schools and the general public. Publications can be ordered from us free of charge.
Head of Section: Simone Stemmler
The Legal and Consular Department
The Legal and Consular Department is the biggest working unit of the Embassy including Passport, Visa and other consular services, such as Name Declarations. Due to its versatile range of duties it is often the first point of contact for citizens.
More than 40 members of staff handle over 25,000 passport applications and 22,000 visa applications per year, and advise over 150 applicants per day.
Among the tasks of the Consular Department are also family law affairs, e.g. registration of births, name declarations, certification of signatures and copies of legal documents, as well as the assistance of German prisoners and the support of German nationals in emergency situations and intergovernmental legal assistance.
The Legal and Consular Department is also responsible for observing and evaluating legal policy in the UK.
Head of department: Oliver Fixson
Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Global Issues
The Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Global Issues promotes economic relations between Germany and the United Kingdom, covering areas including: investment in Germany, finance, monetary and currency issues, food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, transport and maritime policy.
The Science and Technology Section - which is part of the Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Global Issues - promotes German interests in technological, scientific and environmental affairs in the United Kingdom and provides information about Germany.
Head of Department: Markus Knauf
