Political and party leadership · Background: Germany · The Cold War and decolonization 1945–현재 — People | Cyber-Lenin

Political and party leadership Background: Germany The Cold War and decolonization 1945–현재 Clear all

27 people

By birth A–Z List Cards

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
Konrad Adenauer Konrad Adenauer The chancellor who made provisional statehood durable Government and administration · Germany state institutions 1876–1967
Andreas Hermes Andreas Hermes Weimar finance minister who founded the CDU in the Soviet zone in 1945 and was deposed for opposing the land reform Government and administration · Germany state institutions 1878–1964
Jakob Kaiser Jakob Kaiser Christian Democrat who led the CDU in the Soviet zone until SMAD removed him, then became West Germany’s minister for all-German affairs Government and administration · Germany state institutions 1888–1961
Ernst Reuter Ernst Reuter The social democrat who became the voice of divided Berlin Government and administration · Germany state institutions 1889–1953
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
Kurt Schumacher Kurt Schumacher SPD leader who survived ten years in Nazi camps and, after the war, refused the merger with the Communists Political and party leadership · Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) 1895–1952
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
Ludwig Erhard Ludwig Erhard The West German economic statesman who shaped currency reform and the social market economy Economy, finance and planning · Germany state institutions 1897–1977
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
Erich Ollenhauer Erich Ollenhauer Exiled SPD functionary who succeeded Schumacher as SPD leader and leader of the West German opposition Political and party leadership · Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) 1901–1963
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
Willy None Brandt Willy Brandt A social democrat who made reconciliation a politics of divided cities Government and administration · Germany state institutions 1913–1992
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl Helmut Kohl The chancellor who seized the initiative on the German question with a ten-point unification plan days before Malta Political and party leadership · Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 1930–2017
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–