. ▁B irk wald ▁( born ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 1 ) ▁is ▁a ▁German ▁politician ▁( The ▁Left ). ▁Since ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Bund est ag . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁early ▁career ▁Matth ias ▁W . ▁B irk wald ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Mün ster . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Municipal ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Er ft stadt - Le chen ich ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁studied ▁Political ▁Science , ▁Soci ology , ▁Philosoph y ▁and ▁Political ▁Econom y ▁in ▁C ologne , ▁Bonn ▁and ▁Bre men . ▁He ▁achieved ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁as ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁social ▁scient ist . ▁Es pecially ▁after ▁his ▁studies , ▁B irk wald ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁state ▁and ▁federal ▁politics , ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Young ▁Democr ats ▁/ ▁Young ▁Left ▁NR W , ▁the ▁P DS ▁and ▁the ▁W AS G . ▁He ▁ran ▁several ▁times ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁parliament ▁of ▁NR W ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Bund est ag . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Matth ias ▁B irk wald ▁was ▁a ▁personal ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Senator ▁for ▁social ▁affairs , ▁health ▁and ▁consumer ▁protection , ▁He idi ▁K nake - W erner , ▁responsible ▁for ▁social ▁affairs ▁and ▁migration . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁b ureau ▁chief