Hans Modrow
Encyclopedia
Hans Modrow (ˈhans ˈmoːdʁo; born 27 January 1928) is a German
politician, best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. He currently is the honorary Chairman of the Left Party
.
Modrow was born in Jasenitz, Province of Pomerania, Germany
, now Jasienica
part of the town of Police, Poland
. He briefly served in the Volkssturm
towards the end of World War II
and was subsequently held as a prisoner of war
. Upon release in 1949, he joined the Socialist Unity Party
(SED). Modrow had a long political career in East Germany, including periods as a member of the Volkskammer
. From 1973 onward, he was the SED leader in Dresden
, East Germany's third-largest city.
Modrow was widely reckoned as one of the few truly competent leaders in the East German hierarchy. He was prevented from rising any further than a local party boss, however, largely because he was one of the few SED leaders who dared to publicly criticise longtime SED chief Erich Honecker
. Nonetheless, he developed some important contacts with the Soviet Union
, including eventual Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
. When Honecker was toppled in October 1989, Gorbachev hoped that Modrow would become the new leader of the SED. However, Egon Krenz
was selected instead.
He became premier following the resignation of Willi Stoph
on 13 November 1989. After Krenz's resignation as leader of the SED on 3 December, Modrow became the de facto leader of East Germany, even though he did not become leader of the renamed Party of Democratic Socialism. Modrow remained premier until the elections on 18 March 1990.
After the German reunification
, Modrow served as a member of the European Parliament
(1999-2004) and of the Bundestag
.
In 1993 the German Federal Court
found Modrow guilty of electoral fraud
committed in the Dresden municipal elections in May 1989, but the judge declined to impose a prison sentence or a fine.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician, best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. He currently is the honorary Chairman of the Left Party
Left Party (Germany)
The Party of Democratic Socialism was a democratic socialist political party active in Germany from 1989 to 2007. It was the legal successor to the Socialist Unity Party , which ruled the German Democratic Republic until 1990. From 1990 through to 2005, the PDS had been seen as the left-wing...
.
Modrow was born in Jasenitz, Province of Pomerania, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, now Jasienica
Jasienica, Police
Jasienica is a district of Police, Poland, a town in the Pomerania Region. In the High and Late Middle Ages, the village was the site of Jasenitz Abbey, now in ruins.-Gunica River and a kayak-way:...
part of the town of Police, Poland
Police, Poland
Police is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Police County. As of 2006, the town had 34,284 inhabitants. The name comes from Polish pole, which means "field"....
. He briefly served in the Volkssturm
Volkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
towards the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was subsequently held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Upon release in 1949, he joined the Socialist Unity Party
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED). Modrow had a long political career in East Germany, including periods as a member of the Volkskammer
Volkskammer
The People's Chamber was the unicameral legislature of the German Democratic Republic . From its founding in 1949 until the first free elections on 18 March 1990, all members of the Volkskammer were elected on a slate controlled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , called the National Front...
. From 1973 onward, he was the SED leader in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, East Germany's third-largest city.
Modrow was widely reckoned as one of the few truly competent leaders in the East German hierarchy. He was prevented from rising any further than a local party boss, however, largely because he was one of the few SED leaders who dared to publicly criticise longtime SED chief Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976....
. Nonetheless, he developed some important contacts with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, including eventual Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
. When Honecker was toppled in October 1989, Gorbachev hoped that Modrow would become the new leader of the SED. However, Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz is a former politician from East Germany , and that country's last Communist leader...
was selected instead.
He became premier following the resignation of Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph was an East German politician. He served as Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic from 1964 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1989.-Biography:...
on 13 November 1989. After Krenz's resignation as leader of the SED on 3 December, Modrow became the de facto leader of East Germany, even though he did not become leader of the renamed Party of Democratic Socialism. Modrow remained premier until the elections on 18 March 1990.
After the German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, Modrow served as a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
(1999-2004) and of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
.
In 1993 the German Federal Court
Federal Court of Justice of Germany
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
found Modrow guilty of electoral fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
committed in the Dresden municipal elections in May 1989, but the judge declined to impose a prison sentence or a fine.