Thomas Welz
Encyclopedia
Thomas Welz grew up in the suburbs of Berlin
.
As head of the information department, he was editor and author of several illegal samizdat publications
with Rainer Eppelmann
of the peace circle of the East Berlin
Samariterkirche (Church of the Good Samaritan) in Berlin-Friedrichshain. Many of them became the mouthpiece of the East German civil rights movement
, including publications like "Shalom", "Wegzehrung" and "Wendezeit", one of the first publications, where term "Wende"
was used.
During his military service in the NVA
, Thomas Welz was detained for five months from October 1978 in the infamous military prison in Schwedt
.
Welz, active in various initiatives and ad hoc groups of the East German opposition
and the peace movement was in 1989 co-founder of the oppositional political group Democratic Awakening
. After German reunification
in 1990, he was active in the German Social Democratic Party of Germany
. He is married and has two sons. He is living in Berlin
.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
As head of the information department, he was editor and author of several illegal samizdat publications
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
with Rainer Eppelmann
Rainer Eppelmann
Rainer 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....
of the peace circle of the East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
Samariterkirche (Church of the Good Samaritan) in Berlin-Friedrichshain. Many of them became the mouthpiece of the East German civil rights movement
Peaceful Revolution
The Peaceful Revolution was a series of peaceful political protests against the authoritarian regime of the German Democratic Republic of East Germany. The protests, which included an emigration movement as well as street demonstrations, were a case of nonviolent resistance, also often called...
, including publications like "Shalom", "Wegzehrung" and "Wendezeit", one of the first publications, where term "Wende"
Die Wende
marks the complete process of the change from socialism and planned economy to market economy and capitalism in East Germany around the years 1989 and 1990. It encompasses several processes and events which later have become synonymous with the overall process...
was used.
During his military service in the NVA
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
, Thomas Welz was detained for five months from October 1978 in the infamous military prison in Schwedt
Schwedt
Schwedt is a city in Brandenburg, Germany. It is the largest city of the district Uckermark near the Oder river on the border with Poland.-Overview:...
.
Welz, active in various initiatives and ad hoc groups of the East German opposition
Peaceful Revolution
The Peaceful Revolution was a series of peaceful political protests against the authoritarian regime of the German Democratic Republic of East Germany. The protests, which included an emigration movement as well as street demonstrations, were a case of nonviolent resistance, also often called...
and the peace movement was in 1989 co-founder of the oppositional political group Democratic Awakening
Democratic Awakening
Democratic Awakening was an East German opposition political movement. It was founded in October 1989, based on existing politically active church groups. Founding members included Wolfgang Schnur, Friedrich Schorlemmer, Rainer Eppelmann, Günter Nooke and Thomas Welz. The organisation was...
. After 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...
in 1990, he was active in the German Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
. He is married and has two sons. He is living in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.