Ulrich de Maizière
Encyclopedia
Ulrich de Maizière was a German general
. He served as an aide to general Adolf Heusinger
during World War II
and later succeeded Heusinger as Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr
, holding the position from 1966 to 1972. His brother Clement de Maizière decided to stay in the Soviet-occupied part of Germany and became one of the founding members of the CDU (Ost), his nephew Lothar de Maizière
was the last Prime Minister
of the German Democratic Republic
(East Germany), while his son Thomas de Maizière
currently serves as Federal Minister of Defense.
He belonged to a noble family of French Huguenot
origin, originally from Maizières-lès-Metz
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
. He served as an aide to general Adolf Heusinger
Adolf Heusinger
Adolf Heusinger was a German General. He briefly served as Chief of the General Staff of the Army during World War II and served as the first Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, the West German armed forces, from 1957 to 1961...
during 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 later succeeded Heusinger as Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, holding the position from 1966 to 1972. His brother Clement de Maizière decided to stay in the Soviet-occupied part of Germany and became one of the founding members of the CDU (Ost), his nephew 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....
was the last Prime Minister
Prime 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...
of the German Democratic Republic
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...
(East Germany), while his son Thomas de Maizière
Thomas de Maizière
Karl Ernst Thomas de Maizière is a German politician , currently serving as the Minister of Defence in the Second Cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel....
currently serves as Federal Minister of Defense.
He belonged to a noble family of French Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
origin, originally from Maizières-lès-Metz
Maizières-lès-Metz
Maizières-lès-Metz is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It was the original home of the German de Maizière family which, being Huguenots, had to emigrate from France to Prussia in the 17th century...
.