The status of Beamter is held by administrative officials, but also by policemen, prison guards, customs officers, most teachers and university professors, and other professionals in the public service, and by certain holders of political offices such as mayors (but not ministers, who have a peculiar, but similar, status governed by public law). For holders of political office, the status of Beamter is not permanent, only applying during the term of office. Furthermore, while most teachers in the Western states of Germany are Beamte, this is not necessarily the case in Eastern states. Berlin, for example, has abolished the status of Beamter for teachers.