Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) · Background: Germany — People | Cyber-Lenin

Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) Background: Germany Clear all

21 people

By birth A–Z List Cards

GlossarySocialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)

Wilhelm Pieck Wilhelm Pieck From the Spartacus League to GDR head of state, the sole founding member who lived the full arc of German communism Political and party leadership · East Germany state institutions 1876–1960
Max Fechner Max Fechner First East German justice minister, dismissed and imprisoned in 1953 after opposing the prosecution of striking workers Law and justice · East Germany state institutions 1892–1973
Wilhelm Zaisser Wilhelm Zaisser First East German Minister for State Security, purged in 1953 after trying to replace Ulbricht Security, intelligence and policing · East Germany state institutions 1893–1958
Hermann Matern Hermann Matern SED Politburo member and chairman of the Central Party Control Commission who stood by Ulbricht in 1953 Political and party leadership · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1893–1971
Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht German communist leader who built the GDR and erected the Berlin Wall Political and party leadership · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1893–1973
Otto Grotewohl Otto Grotewohl The Social Democrat who led a divided state into being Government and administration · East Germany state institutions 1894–1964
Friedrich Ebert Jr. Friedrich Ebert junior A social democrat who moved from municipal politics into state power amid Germany's division Political and party leadership · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1894–1979
Erich Gniffke Erich Gniffke SPD organiser in the Soviet zone who signed the merger with the KPD, then left the SED in 1948 and fled west Social movements and organizing · Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) 1895–1964
Ernst Wollweber Ernst Wollweber Communist who ran an anti-fascist sabotage network before the war and headed the Stasi from 1953 to 1957 Security, intelligence and policing · East Germany state institutions 1898–1967
Heinrich Rau Heinrich Rau Communist who chaired the German Economic Commission, the forerunner of the GDR government, and led East German economic policy Economy, finance and planning · East Germany state institutions 1899–1961
Fritz Selbmann Fritz Selbmann East German heavy-industry minister who faced the striking workers outside the House of Ministries on 16 June 1953 Industry and production · East Germany state institutions 1899–1975
Hilde Benjamin Hilde Benjamin East German jurist who succeeded Fechner as justice minister after the 1953 uprising and led its harsh political trials Law and justice · East Germany state institutions 1902–1989
Rudolf Herrnstadt Rudolf Herrnstadt Editor of Neues Deutschland who helped draft the 1953 New Course, moved against Ulbricht and was purged as a “faction” Ideology and propaganda · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1903–1966
Fred Oelßner Fred Oelßner Economist and the SED’s chief ideologue until 1958, when he was expelled from the Politburo in the Schirdewan affair Ideology and propaganda · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1903–1977
Anton Ackermann Anton Ackermann German communist who drafted the KPD’s 1945 appeal and argued for a “special German road to socialism” Ideology and propaganda · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1905–1973
Erich Fritz Emil Mielke Erich Mielke East Germany's 'Master of Fear': the Stasi chief who ruled state security for 32 years Security, intelligence and policing · East Germany state institutions 1907–2000
Bruno Leuschner Bruno Leuschner East German planner who ran planning in the German Economic Commission and then chaired the State Planning Commission Economy, finance and planning · East Germany state institutions 1910–1965
Erich Honecker Erich Honecker The long-serving East German leader of the walled republic Political and party leadership · East Germany state institutions 1912–1994
Wolfgang Leonhard Wolfgang Leonhard Youngest member of the Ulbricht Group who fled to Yugoslavia in 1949 and became a leading Western scholar of Soviet communism Ideology and propaganda · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1921–2014
Günter Schabowski Günter Schabowski The East German Politburo spokesman whose mistake brought down the Berlin Wall Ideology and propaganda · Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) 1929–2015
Egon Rudi Ernst Krenz Egon Krenz The last communist leader of East Germany, who succeeded Honecker, opened the Wall, and fell in 50 days Political and party leadership · East Germany state institutions 1937–