Ministerrat
Encyclopedia
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(German: Ministerrat der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) was the chief executive body of East Germany from November 1950 until the GDR was unified with the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
on 3 October 1990. Originally formed as a body of 18 members, by 1989 the council consisted of 44 members.
Under the Constitution of East Germany, the Council of Ministers was the official government of East Germany. In practice, the Council was ultimately answerable to the General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party, and thus was not de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
the highest power in the country.
Structure
The Council was led by a chairman (Vorsitzender), equivalent to a Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. There were two first deputy chairmen and nine other deputy chairmen. Together with some key ministers they formed the presidency (Präsidium) of the Council. The Präsidium prepared all decisions in consultation with the responsible departments of the Central Committee (Zentralkomitee) of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
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) and especially the Politbüro
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
of the SED Central Committee. The Präsidium managed the day-to-day affairs of the Council between its weekly meetings, which took place regularly on Wednesdays to execute the resolutions of the Politbüro’s weekly meetings (on Tuesdays). The secretaries and department managers in the Central Committee were authorized to give instructions to the ministers as necessary.
Until the Wende in the fall of 1989, the two first deputy chairmen were Werner Krolikowski and Alfred Neumann
Alfred Neumann
Alfred Neumann may refer to:*Alfred Neumann , politician*Alfred Neumann *Alfred R. Neumann, first president of the University of Houston–Clear Lake*Alfred Neumann See also:...
, who were both members of the SED Politbüro. Other deputy chairmen included the leaders of the four allied parties (Blockparteien). Additional members included the chairman of the State Planning Commission, the president of the Staatsbank der DDR (State Bank of the GDR) and some state secretaries, who were usually office directors at the Council. All members of the Council were selected by the GDR 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...
(parliament) for a term of five years. Within the centralized state structure of the GDR, the city, county and district administrations were subordinated to the Council.
After the SED abandoned power in November 1989, the last Communist prime minister, Hans Modrow
Hans Modrow
Hans Modrow is a German politician, best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. He currently is the honorary Chairman of the Left Party....
, became in name as well as in fact the leader of East Germany. He was succeeded by Lothar de Maizière
Lothar de Maizière
Lothar de Maizière is a German christian democratic politician. In 1990, he served as the only democratically elected Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic, and as such was the last leader of an independent East Germany....
after what turned out to be the only free election
East German general election, 1990
Legislative elections were held in the German Democratic Republic on 18 March 1990. It was the first—and as it turned out, only—free parliamentary election in East Germany, and the first truly free election held in that part of Germany since 1933...
ever held in East Germany, in March 1990. De Maizière presided over the transition period to the reunification of the two Germanies in October 1990.
The former Prussian state parliament (Preußischer Landtag) served as the seat of the Council from 1950 to 1953. From 1961 to 1990 the Council's offices were located in the former Berlin city hall at No. 47 Klosterstraße. The Law Gazette of the GDR (Gesetzblatt der DDR) was also published by the Council. In addition, the Council’s Press Office made official government announcements and was responsible for the accreditation of foreign journalists in the GDR.
The individual ministries had their own headquarters buildings in East Berlin, although the former Reich Air Ministry
Reich Air Ministry
thumb|300px|The Ministry of Aviation, December 1938The Ministry of Aviation was a government department during the period of Nazi Germany...
building on Leipziger Straße housed the industrially-oriented ministries.
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
| # | Picture | Name | Took office | Left office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Otto Grotewohl Otto Grotewohl Otto Grotewohl was a German politician and prime minister of the German Democratic Republic from 1949 until his death. According to Roth , "He was a figurehead who led various economic commissions, lobbied the Soviets for increased aid, and conducted foreign policy tours in the attempt to break... |
12 October 1949 | 21 September 1964 | Socialist Unity Party of Germany 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... |
| 2 | 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:... (1st time) |
21 September 1964 | 3 October 1973 | Socialist Unity Party of Germany 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... |
|
| 3 | Horst Sindermann Horst Sindermann Horst Sindermann was a Communist German politician and one of the leaders of East Germany.-Early life:Sindermann was born in Dresden as the son of the Saxon Social Democratic politician Karl Sindermann... |
3 October 1973 | 29 October 1976 | Socialist Unity Party of Germany 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... |
|
| 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:... (2nd time) |
29 October 1976 | 13 November 1989 | Socialist Unity Party of Germany 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... |
||
| 4 |  |
Hans Modrow Hans Modrow Hans Modrow is a German politician, best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. He currently is the honorary Chairman of the Left Party.... |
13 November 1989 | 12 April 1990 | Socialist Unity Party of Germany 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... |
| 5 | Lothar de Maizière Lothar de Maizière Lothar de Maizière is a German christian democratic politician. In 1990, he served as the only democratically elected Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic, and as such was the last leader of an independent East Germany.... |
12 April 1990 | 2 October 1990 | Christian Democratic Union Christian Democratic Union (East Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ) was an East German political party founded in 1945. It was part of the National Front with the Socialist Unity Party of Germany until 1989.... |
|
Ministries
- Ministry of National DefenseMinistry of National Defence (East Germany)The Ministry of National Defense was the chief administrative arm of the East German National People's Army. The MND was modeled on that of the Soviet Union. The headquarters of the Ministry was in Strausberg in Berlin. The Hugo Eberlein Guard Regiment provided security and guard services to the...
*: Willi StophWilli StophWilli 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:...
, Heinz HoffmannHeinz HoffmannHeinz Hoffmann was Minister of National Defense in the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, and since October 2, 1973 Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party .-Youth:Hoffmann came from a working class family...
, Heinz KesslerHeinz KesslerHeinz Kessler was an Armeegeneral in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic ; Minister of Defense of the GDR; a member of the Politbüro of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany ; and a deputy of the GDR's Volkskammer...
, Theodor HoffmannTheodor Hoffmann (admiral)Theodor Hoffmann East German Admiral who served as the head of the People's Navy and as the last Minister of National Defense of the Germany Democratic Republic and head of the National People's Army.-Early life:Hoffmann worked from 1949 to 1951 in agriculture...
, Rainer EppelmannRainer EppelmannRainer Eppelmann , is a German politician. Known for his opposition in the German Democratic Republic, he became Minister for Disarmament and Defense in the last cabinet. He is now a member of the CDU....
(1990) - Ministry of Foreign AffairsMinistry for Foreign Affairs of the German Democratic RepublicThe Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the German Democratic Republic was a government body of the German Democratic Republic that existed from 1949 to 1990. It had its seat at Schinkelplatz in Berlin-Mitte...
: Georg DertingerGeorg DertingerGeorg Dertinger was a German politician from the German Democratic Republic .He was born in Berlin into a middle-class Protestant family. Dertinger briefly studied law and economics. After his study he became a journalist and later editor for the Magdeburger Volkszeitung and the nationalistic...
(1949–1953), Lothar BolzLothar BolzLothar Bolz was an East German politician. From 1953 to 1965 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of East Germany ....
(1953–1965), Otto WinzerOtto WinzerOtto Winzer was an East German diplomat. He returned from exile in the Soviet Union as part of the Ulbricht Group, charged with setting up the Soviet Military Administration in Germany after World War II. He served as the foreign minister of East Germany between 1965 and 1975.- References :...
(1965–1975), Oskar Fischer (1975–1990), Markus MeckelMarkus MeckelMarkus Meckel is a German theologian and politician. He was the penultimate foreign minister of the GDR and is a member of the German Bundestag.-Early life:...
(1990), Lothar de MaizièreLothar de MaizièreLothar de Maizière is a German christian democratic politician. In 1990, he served as the only democratically elected Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic, and as such was the last leader of an independent East Germany....
, (1990) - Ministry of State SecurityStasiThe Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
(Stasi)**: Wilhelm ZaisserWilhelm ZaisserWilhelm Zaisser was a German communist politician and the first Minister for State Security of the German Democratic Republic .- Life :...
, Ernst WollweberErnst WollweberErnst Friedrich Wollweber was Minister of State Security of the German Democratic Republic from 1953 to 1957.-Biography:...
, Erich MielkeErich MielkeErich Fritz Emil Mielke was a German communist politician and Minister of State Security—and as such head of the Stasi —of the German Democratic Republic between 1957 and 1989. Mielke spent more than a decade as an operative of the NKVD during the rule of Joseph Stalin...
, Wolfgang SchwanitzWolfgang SchwanitzWolfgang Schwanitz was the last head of the Stasi, the East German secret police, that was officially renamed the "Office for National Security" on November 17, 1989... - Ministry of the Interior: Karl SteinhoffKarl SteinhoffKarl Steinhoff was a Minister-President of the German state of Brandenburg, then part of East Germany, and later served as East Germany's Minister of the Interior....
, Karl Maron, Friedrich Dickel; Lothar Ahrendt, Peter Michael Diestel (1990) - Ministry of Finance: Hans Loch, Willy RumpfWilly RumpfWilly Rumpf was Finance Minister in the German Democratic Republic.Born in Berlin, Rumpf was from 1917 to 1920 educated as an insurance assessor, and worked until 1932 as an accountant, cashier and a foreign trade correspondent. In 1920 he joined the German Communist Youth Association, and in 1925...
, Siegfried Böhm (1966–80), Werner Schmieder, Ernst HöfnerErnst HöfnerErnst Höfner was Finance Minister in the German Democratic Republic. Born in Berlin, Höfner graduated with a degree in business. In the 1960s he was a secretary in the finance ministry...
(1981–90), Uta Nickel (1989/90), Walter Romberg, Werner Skowron (1990) - Ministry of Transport: Hans Reingruber, Erwin KramerErwin KramerErwin Kramer was a German politician, East German Minister of transportation and General Director of the Deutsche Reichsbahn ....
, Otto Arndt, Heinrich Scholz, Herbert Keddi, Horst Gibtner (1990) - Ministry for Posts and Telecommunications: Friedrich Burmeister, Rudolph Schulze (CDU), Klaus Wolf (CDU), Emil Schnell (1990)
- Ministry of Culture: Johannes R. BecherJohannes R. BecherJohannes Robert Becher was a German politician, novelist, and poet.-Early life:Johannes R. Becher was the son of Judge Heinrich Becher. In 1910 he tried to commit suicide with a friend; only Becher survived. From 1911 he studied medicine and philosophy in Munich and Jena...
, Alexander Abusch, Hans Bentzien, Klaus Gysi, Hans Joachim Hoffmann, Dietmar Keller, Herbert Schirmer (1990) - Ministry of National Education***: Elizabeth Zaisser, Fritz Lange, Alfred Lemmnitz, Margot HoneckerMargot HoneckerMargot Honecker née Feist is a former Communist politician, who was a prominent member of the political elite in East Germany...
(1963–1989, Helga Labs, Hans Heinz Emons - Ministry of High and Specialized Public Education: Ernst Joachim Gießmann, Hans Joachim Böhme
- Ministry of Science and Technology: Herbert Weiz (1974–89), at the same time 1967-89 one of the Deputy Chairmen of the MR; Peter Klaus Budig (LDPD)
- Ministry of Health: Luitpold Steidle (1949–58), Max Sefrin (1958–71), Ludwig Mecklinger, Klaus Thielmann, Jürgen Kleditzsch (1990)
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Water Management: Werner Titel (1971), Hans Reichelt (DBD), Karl H. Steinberg (1990)
- Ministry of Justice: Max FechnerMax FechnerMax Fechner was a Minister of Justice of the GDR.Fechner was a trained tool maker. He joined the SPD in 1910, was a member of the USPD from 1917 to 1922, and then returned to the SPD...
, Hilde BenjaminHilde BenjaminHilde Benjamin was an East German judge and Minister of Justice. She is best known for presiding over a series of political show trials in the 1950s....
, Kurt Wünsche (also 1990), Hans Joachim Heusinger (of both latter members of the LDPD) - Minister and Chairman of the Workers' and Farmers' Inspection (Arbeiter- und Bauerninspektion): Heinz Matthes
- Chairman of the State Planning Commission: Heinrich RauHeinrich RauHeinrich Gottlob "Heiner" Rau was a German communist politician during the time of the Weimar Republic; subsequently, during the Spanish Civil War, a leading member of the International Brigades and after World War II an East German statesman.Rau grew up in a suburb of Stuttgart, where he early...
, Bruno Leuschner, Karl Mewis, Erich Apel, Gerhard Schürer - Director of the Press Office: Kurt Blecha, Wolfgang Meyer
Ministries of the industries (1961-1965 in the course New Economic System were summarized the Ministries in national economy advice under his chairman Alfred Neumann):
- Ministry of Ore mining industry, metallurgy and potash: Kurt Fichtner, Kurt Singhuber (1967–89)
- Ministry of Electro-technology and electronics: Otfried Steger, Felix Meier
- Ministry of Coal and energy: Wolfgang Mitzinger
- Ministry of Chemical industry: Siegbert Löschau, Günther Wyschofsky *Structure building industry: Lothar Bolz (1949–53), Heinz Winkler (1953–58), Ernst Scholz, Wolfgang Junker (1963–89); Gerhard Baumgärtel, Axel Viehweger (1990)
- Ministry of Basic industry
- Ministry of Glass and ceramic(s) industry: Werner Greiner Petter, Karl Grünheid (1983–89)
- Ministry of Stock management: Alfred Neumann (1965–68), Manfred Flegel, Wolfgang Rauchfuß
- Ministry of Tool and building of processing machines: Rudi Georgi (1973–89)
- Ministry of General construction of vehicles, machine and agricultural machinery (since 1990: Mechanical engineering): Günther KleiberGünther KleiberGünther Kleiber is a former communist politician from the German Democratic Republic . He was a member of the politburo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany from 1984 to 1989, and a member of the GDR government as minister for machinery, agricultural machinery and vehicle construction from...
, Gerhard Tautenhahn, Karl Grünheid - Ministry of Heavy machine and equipment construction (since 1990: Heavy industry): Fritz Selbmann, Rolf Kersten, Hans Joachim Lauck, Kurt Singhuber
- Ministry of Land, forest and food processing industry: Ernst Goldenbaum, Paul Scholz, George Ewald, Heinz Kuhrig, Bruno Lietz; Hans Watzek, Peter Pollack (1990)
- Ministry of Light Industry: Karl Bettin, Werner Buschmann, Gunter Halm (NDPD)
- Ministry of District-led and foodstuffs industry: Erhard Krack, Udo Dieter Wange
- Ministry of Trade and supply: Curt Heinz Merkel, Karl Hamann, Gerhard Lucht, Günter Sieber (1965–72), Manfred Flegel * Foreign trade: George Ulrich Handke, Heinrich Rau (1955–61), Julius Balkow, Horst Sölle, Gerhard BeilGerhard BeilGerhard Beil was a politician for the SED and the Minister for Foreign Trade of the GDR.-References:...
1989 and/or 1990 again imported: - Ministry of Economics (new since 1989): Christa Luft (1989/90), Gerhard Pohl (1990)
- Ministry of Tourism (new since 1989): Bruno Benthien (LDPD)
- Ministry of Work and Wages (new since 1989)/work and social (since 1990): Hannelore Mensch, Jürgen Kleditzsch * Family and women (new 1990): Christa Schmidt (CDU)
* Renamed in 1990 as the Ministry for Disarmament and Defense.
** Renamed on 17 November 1989 as the Office for National Security (Amt für Nationale Sicherheit - AfNS); abolished on 13 January 1990.
*** Renamed in 1989 as the Ministry for Education and Youth.
See also
- State Council of the German Democratic Republic