Background
Stöckmann was born in Stolp, Pomerania (today Słupsk, Poland). His family was expelled from his Stolp after World World War II and he grew up in Jever, Germany.
Stöckmann was born in Stolp, Pomerania (today Słupsk, Poland). His family was expelled from his Stolp after World World War II and he grew up in Jever, Germany.
Stöckmann attended his General Staff Training Course at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr in 1972 - 1974 and served at the General Army Office. In 1976 - 1978 he attended the General Staff Training Course at the Royal Dutch Military Academy in The Hague, the Netherlands.
He was Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe from 1996-1998. After passing his Abitur in 1961, he joined the Bundeswehr as an officer cadet in a Panzergrenadier battalion. Stöckmann commanded Panzerbrigade 15 in Koblenz from 1986 to 1989 and became the Head of the Personnel, Training and Leadership Development Department at Army Headquarters in Bonn.
On 17 September 2001 Stöckmann was promoted to Deputy Commander, Supreme Allied Command Europe, a position he held until his retirement on 30 September 2002.
After serving at the Panzergrenadiertroops he became the adjutant of the Chief of Staff of the German Army in 1982 and to the Chief of Staff of the Federal Armed Forces in 1984. He commanded the 5 Panzerdivision in Diez on the Lahn in 1991-1993 and was promoted to Generalleutnant in 1993, when he was appointed the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander at the Headquarters of the Allied Land Forces Central Europe in Heidelberg. In 1996, now in the rank of a General, he became Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe (CINCCENT) and the Chief of Staff of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe) on 1 April 1998.
General (ret) Stoeckmann is a Member of the Board of Advisors of the Global Panel Foundation (Berlin, Copenhagen, Prague, Sydney and Toronto) - a respected foundation which works behind-the-scenes in conflict areas around the world.
