Bürgermeister ("Mayors") who were changed yearly. As of 1500, only two mayors were chosen every year. In the 18th century, the guilds were achieving ever greater influence in the town. Thereafter the "ruling" or "office-holding" old shoemaking master represented the "common townsfolk" on the council. The mediaeval town charter was kept right up until 1809, and parts of it even held until 1815, but that year there was a self-endorsing council with 12 members, over which presided the mayor. As of 1824, the suburbs got their own chief administrator who was subordinate to the mayor of Siegen. In 1836, the Prussian municipal system was introduced. After the town was separated from Siegen district in 1923, the mayor was given the title Oberbürgermeister (roughly equivalent to Lord Mayor). The mayor who came to office in 1919 kept his position right through the time of the Third Reich, whereas some mayors in other German and Austrian towns, whose political views were at odds with the Nazis', were removed forcibly. After the Second World War, the military government of the British Zone of Occupation installed a new mayor, and in 1946 it introduced a new town charter based on a British model, leading to a "Council of the town" elected by the people, whose members were called Stadtverordnete (town councillors). In the beginning, the council chose one from its midst as the mayor as the town's head and representative, which was an honorary function. Furthermore, as of 1946, the council also began choosing a full-time Oberstadtdirektor, or Higher Town Director, to lead the town's administration. After Siegen was reunited with the district of the same name in 1975, these two officials bore the titles Bürgermeister and Stadtdirektor respectively. In 1999, this two-headed arrangement was forsaken in favour of a single city leader, with the title Bürgermeister, who serves as chairman or chairwoman of city council, leader of city administration and city representative. The mayor is directly elected. Mayors (Bürgermeister and Oberbürgermeister) since 1919 1919–1945: Alfred Fißmer, Oberbürgermeister 1945: Fritz Fries, Oberbürgermeister 1945–1946: Otto Schwarz, Oberbürgermeister 1946–1948: Ernst Weißelberg, Oberbürgermeister 1948–1956: Ernst Bach, Oberbürgermeister 1956–1961: Erich Pachnicke, Oberbürgermeister 1961–1966: Karl Eckmann, Oberbürgermeister 1966–1975: Karl Althaus, Oberbürgermeister 1975–1979: Friedemann Keßler, Bürgermeister 1979–1990: Hans Reinhardt, Bürgermeister 1990–1994: Hilde Fiedler, Bürgermeisterin 1994–1999: Karl Wilhelm Kirchhöfer, Bürgermeister 1999–2007: Ulf Stötzel (CDU), Bürgermeister 2007–today: Steffen Mues (CDU), Bürgermeister Stadtdirektoren and Oberstadtdirektoren 1946–1999 1946–1954: Max Baumann, Oberstadtdirektor 1954–1975: Kurt Seibt,