The political leadership of East Germany was distributed between several offices. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and its leader held ultimate power and authority over state and government.
On 7 October 1949 an East German state, called the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was proclaimed and took over governmental functions from the DWK, largely with the same leading figures.
Until autumn of 1989, the most important position in the GDR was that of the General Secretary of the (SED), titled as the First Secretary between 1953 and 1976. The GDR Constitution contained a section granting the SED a monopoly on power, making the General Secretary the de facto leader of the country. He and the party Politburo, which he headed, set all policy, with both cabinet and parliament acting as a rubber stamp implementing the decisions.
Government was headed by the Council of Ministers and its chairman, sometimes colloquially called Prime Minister. However, all the decisions were made by the party, with the cabinet implementing them. Indeed, the SED Central Committee had committees mirroring the cabinet departments.
The political landscape was completely changed by the Peaceful Revolution late in 1989, which saw the SED having to relinquish its monopoly on political power and the National Defense Council and the State Council being abolished. The remaining institutions were the People's Chamber, whose President became head of state by default for the remainder of the GDR's existence, and the Council of Ministers, both now constituted on basis of the country's first and only democratic elections in March 1990. The GDR joined the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990
On 1 December 1989, the People's Chamber removed the section of the East German Constitution granting the SED a monopoly of power—thus ending Communist rule in East Germany. Before the month was out, the SED transformed from a Leninist cadre party into a democratic socialist party, renaming itself first to Socialist Unity Party — Party of Democratic Socialism and later in the same year, to Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS). Hence, the party's subsequent leaders were no more leaders of East Germany than the leaders of other parties.
^On 5 April 1990, the State Council was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the Presidium of the People's Chamber, with the President of the latter body serving as interim Head of state.
References
External links
World Statesmen – East Germany
January 23, 2023
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This article does not cite any sources Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Leadership of East Germany news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The political leadership of East Germany was distributed between several offices The Socialist Unity Party of Germany SED and its leader held ultimate power and authority over state and government Leadership of East GermanyNational emblem of East GermanyLast General SecretaryEgon Krenz18 October 1989 6 December 1989ResidenceSchonhausen PalaceMajakowskiringWaldsiedlungFormation7 October 1949First holderWilhelm PieckOtto Grotewohl first Party Chairmen Wilhelm Pieck first head of state Otto Grotewohl first head of government Final holderEgon Krenz last General Secretary Sabine Bergmann Pohl last head of state Lothar de Maiziere last head of government Abolished6 December 1989 18 March 1990 Communist rule ended 3 October 1990 German reunification Prior to the proclamation of an East German state the Soviets established the German Economic Commission DWK in 1948 as a de facto government in their occupation zone Its chairman was Heinrich Rau On 7 October 1949 an East German state called the German Democratic Republic GDR was proclaimed and took over governmental functions from the DWK largely with the same leading figures Until autumn of 1989 the most important position in the GDR was that of the General Secretary of the SED titled as the First Secretary between 1953 and 1976 The GDR Constitution contained a section granting the SED a monopoly on power making the General Secretary the de facto leader of the country He and the party Politburo which he headed set all policy with both cabinet and parliament acting as a rubber stamp implementing the decisions The formal head of state was originally the President of the German Democratic Republic After the death of incumbent Wilhelm Pieck in 1960 the office was replaced by a collective body as head of state the State Council The position of chairman was commonly held by the party leader Government was headed by the Council of Ministers and its chairman sometimes colloquially called Prime Minister However all the decisions were made by the party with the cabinet implementing them Indeed the SED Central Committee had committees mirroring the cabinet departments Other important institutions included the People s Chamber the legislature whose sessions were chaired by a President of the People s Chamber and since 1960 the National Defense Council which held supreme command of the GDR s armed forces and had unlimited authority over the State in time of war The Council was composed exclusively of members of the SED s Central Committee and Politburo with the party leader serving as Chairman of the National Defense Council The political landscape was completely changed by the Peaceful Revolution late in 1989 which saw the SED having to relinquish its monopoly on political power and the National Defense Council and the State Council being abolished The remaining institutions were the People s Chamber whose President became head of state by default for the remainder of the GDR s existence and the Council of Ministers both now constituted on basis of the country s first and only democratic elections in March 1990 The GDR joined the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990 Contents 1 Leaders of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany SED 2 Heads of state 3 Heads of government 4 Heads of parliament 5 Heads of the military 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksLeaders of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany SED Edit Logo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany No Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office PartyJoint Chairmen of the Socialist Unity PartyVorsitzende der Sozialistischen Einheitspartei Deutschlands Pieck Wilhelm Wilhelm Pieck 1876 1960 22 April 194625 July 19504 years 94 daysSED Grotewohl Otto Otto Grotewohl 1894 1964 22 April 194625 July 19504 years 94 daysSEDGeneral Secretary of the Central Committee First Secretary of the Central Committee 1953 1976 Generalsekretar Erster Sekretar des Zentralkommitees1 Ulbricht Walter Walter Ulbricht 1893 1973 25 July 19503 May 197120 years 282 daysSED2 Honecker Erich Erich Honecker 1912 1994 3 May 197118 October 198918 years 168 daysSED3 Krenz Egon Egon Krenz born 1937 18 October 19896 December 198949 daysSED Honorary Chairman of the Central CommitteeVorsitzender des Zentralkommitees1 Ulbricht Walter Walter Ulbricht 1893 1973 3 May 19711 August 1973 2 years 90 daysSEDOn 1 December 1989 the People s Chamber removed the section of the East German Constitution granting the SED a monopoly of power thus ending Communist rule in East Germany Before the month was out the SED transformed from a Leninist cadre party into a democratic socialist party renaming itself first to Socialist Unity Party Party of Democratic Socialism and later in the same year to Party of Democratic Socialism PDS Hence the party s subsequent leaders were no more leaders of East Germany than the leaders of other parties Heads of state EditNo Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office PartyPresident of the RepublicPrasident der Republik Dieckmann Johannes Johannes Dieckmann 1893 1969 Acting7 October 194911 October 19494 daysLDPD1 Pieck Wilhelm Wilhelm Pieck 1876 1960 11 October 19497 September 1960 10 years 332 daysSED Dieckmann Johannes Johannes Dieckmann 1893 1969 Acting7 September 196012 September 19605 daysLDPDChairman of the State CouncilVorsitzender des Staatsrats1 Ulbricht Walter Walter Ulbricht 1893 1973 12 September 19601 August 1973 12 years 323 daysSED Ebert Jr Friedrich Friedrich Ebert Jr 1894 1979 Acting1 August 19733 October 197363 daysSED2 Stoph Willi Willi Stoph 1914 1999 3 October 197329 October 19763 years 26 daysSED3 Honecker Erich Erich Honecker 1912 1994 29 October 197624 October 198912 years 360 daysSED4 Krenz Egon Egon Krenz born 1937 24 October 19896 December 198943 daysSED5 Gerlach Manfred Manfred Gerlach 1928 2011 6 December 19895 April 1990120 daysLDPDPresident of the People s Chamber a Prasident der Volkskammer Bergmann Pohl Sabine Sabine Bergmann Pohl born 1946 Acting5 April 19902 October 1990180 daysCDUHeads of government EditNo Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office PartyMinister PresidentMinisterprasident1 Grotewohl Otto Otto Grotewohl 1894 1964 12 October 194921 September 1964 14 years 345 daysSEDChairman of the Council of MinistersVorsitzender des Ministerrats2 Stoph Willi Willi Stoph 1914 1999 21 September 19643 October 19739 years 12 daysSED3 Sindermann Horst Horst Sindermann 1915 1990 3 October 197329 October 19763 years 26 daysSED 2 Stoph Willi Willi Stoph 1914 1999 29 October 197613 November 198913 years 15 daysSED4 Modrow Hans Hans Modrow born 1928 13 November 198912 April 1990150 daysSEDPDSMinister PresidentMinisterprasident5 de Maiziere Lothar Lothar de Maiziere born 1940 12 April 19902 October 1990173 daysCDUHeads of parliament EditNo Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office PartyPresident of the People s ChamberPrasident der Volkskammer1 Dieckmann Johannes Johannes Dieckmann 1893 1969 7 October 194922 February 1969 19 years 138 daysLDPD2 Gotting Gerald Gerald Gotting 1923 2015 12 May 196929 October 19767 years 170 daysCDU3 Sindermann Horst Horst Sindermann 1915 1990 29 October 197613 November 198913 years 15 daysSED4 Maleuda Gunther Gunther Maleuda 1931 2012 13 November 19895 April 1990143 daysDBD5 Bergmann Pohl Sabine Sabine Bergmann Pohl born 1946 5 April 19902 October 1990180 daysCDUHeads of the military Edit Standard of the Chairman of the National Defence Council No Portrait Chairman of the National Defence CouncilVorsitzender des Nationalen Verteidigungsrates Took office Left office Time in office Party1 Ulbricht Walter Walter Ulbricht 1893 1973 10 February 19603 May 197111 years 82 daysSED2 Honecker Erich Erich Honecker 1912 1994 3 May 197118 October 198918 years 168 daysSED3 Krenz Egon Egon Krenz born 1937 18 October 19896 December 198949 daysSEDSee also Edit East Germany portalList of German monarchs President of Germany President of Germany 1919 1945 List of presidents of Germany Chancellor of Germany List of chancellors of GermanyNotes Edit On 5 April 1990 the State Council was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the Presidium of the People s Chamber with the President of the latter body serving as interim Head of state References EditExternal links EditWorld Statesmen East Germany Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leadership of East Germany amp oldid 1130570083, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
