Wichtiger Hinweis
Thomas Ternes – Legal and Human Resources Officer
Stand: 14.09.2026
Thomas Ternes has been a full-time city council member since 2016 and is the head of what is now the Department of Legal Affairs and Human Resources.
Resume
Thomas Ternes (Photo: Marie-Theres Graf)
I was born in March 1965. After graduating from Albrecht-Dürer-Gymnasium in Nuremberg and completing my military service in Regensburg, I began studying law in Erlangen, graduating in 1992. In 1995, I passed the second state law examination. That same year, I began my professional career as a judge at the Bavarian Administrative Court in Ansbach. In 1998, I moved to the City of Erlangen, where I worked as a legal advisor in the Legal Department. In 2000, I took over as head of the city’s Building Inspection Office. From 2004 to 2008, I also served as a lecturer in public building law at the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences in Nuremberg. Starting in 2008, I served as the City of Erlangen’s director of human resources, organization, fire safety, and disaster management. Since March 1, 2016, I have been the head of the Department of Legal Affairs and Human Resources.
An Interview with Thomas Ternes
The city council elects its full-time members for a term of up to six years; it is, therefore, a fixed-term elected office. However, reelection is possible.
What appeals to me most is the mix of departments that work internally on administrative tasks in the areas of human resources, legal counsel, and IT, and the large public-facing departments that are in direct contact with our citizens. Connecting these different areas and continuously improving processes—while ensuring they are legally sound—through the use of digitalization is a challenge I am very eager to take on.
Erlangen is a safe city. To ensure it stays that way, we work very closely and in a spirit of trust with the Erlangen police. The issue of city staff is also a top priority. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, it is important for the city to present itself as an attractive and diverse employer. Working for us—and thus directly for our citizens—is something very special. And last but not least, the current crises have shown that we need a strong and effective public service overall, and especially at the local level.
The historic downtown, the palace gardens with the orangery, and, of course, City Hall…
The easiest way to contact us is by email; we're available 24/7, seven days a week. Our email address is: referat3-vorzimmer@stadt.erlangen.de
Division III - Legal Affairs and Human Resources
Department Head: Thomas Ternes
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