Erich Honecker: Difference between revisions

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'''Erich Honecker''' (August 25<sup>th</sup>, 1912 – May 29<sup>th</sup>, 1994) was a German politician who was the General Secretary of the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]] (SED). As party leader he worked closely with Moscow (which had a large army stationed in East Germany). He controlled the government of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1971 until he was forced out in the weeks preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall in October 1989. From 1976 onward he was also the country's official head of state as Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic following Willi Stoph's relinquishment of the post.

==Biography==

Honecker's political career began in the 1930s when he became an official of the Communist Party of Germany, a position for which he was imprisoned by the [[Nazi]] government of Germany. Following [[World War II]], he was freed by the Soviet army and relaunched his political activities, founding the youth organisation the Free German Youth in 1946 and serving as the group's chairman until 1955. As the Security Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee in the new East Germany, he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore responsibility for the "order to fire" along the Inner German border.

Honecker's political career began in the 1930s when he became an official of the [[Communist Party of Germany]], a position for which he was imprisoned by the [[Nazi]] government of Germany. Following [[World War II]], he was freed by the Soviet army and relaunched his political activities, founding the youth organisation the Free German Youth in 1946 and serving as the group's chairman until 1955. As the Security Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee in the new East Germany, he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore responsibility for the "order to fire" along the Inner German border.

In 1970, he initiated a political power struggle that led, with support of the Kremlin leader [[Leonid Brezhnev]], to his replacing [[Walter Ulbricht]] as First Secretary of the Central Committee and as chairman of the state's National Defense Council. Under his command, the country adopted a programme of "consumer socialism" and moved toward the international community by normalising relations with West Germany and also becoming a full member of the UN, in what is considered one of his greatest political successes.

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 '''Erich Honecker''' (August 25<sup>th</sup>, 1912 – May 29<sup>th</sup>, 1994) was a German politician who was the General Secretary of the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]] (SED). As party leader he worked closely with Moscow (which had a large army stationed in East Germany). He controlled the government of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1971 until he was forced out in the weeks preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall in October 1989. From 1976 onward he was also the country's official head of state as Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic following Willi Stoph's relinquishment of the post.
 ==Biography==
-Honecker's political career began in the 1930s when he became an official of the Communist Party of Germany, a position for which he was imprisoned by the [[Nazi]] government of Germany. Following [[World War II]], he was freed by the Soviet army and relaunched his political activities, founding the youth organisation the Free German Youth in 1946 and serving as the group's chairman until 1955. As the Security Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee in the new East Germany, he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore responsibility for the "order to fire" along the Inner German border.
+Honecker's political career began in the 1930s when he became an official of the [[Communist Party of Germany]], a position for which he was imprisoned by the [[Nazi]] government of Germany. Following [[World War II]], he was freed by the Soviet army and relaunched his political activities, founding the youth organisation the Free German Youth in 1946 and serving as the group's chairman until 1955. As the Security Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee in the new East Germany, he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore responsibility for the "order to fire" along the Inner German border.
 In 1970, he initiated a political power struggle that led, with support of the Kremlin leader [[Leonid Brezhnev]], to his replacing [[Walter Ulbricht]] as First Secretary of the Central Committee and as chairman of the state's National Defense Council. Under his command, the country adopted a programme of "consumer socialism" and moved toward the international community by normalising relations with West Germany and also becoming a full member of the UN, in what is considered one of his greatest political successes.