Leadership of East Germany
The political leadership of East Germany was in the hands of several offices.
| Leadership of East Germany | |
|---|---|
| 120px | |
| Residence | Schönhausen Palace Majakowskiring Waldsiedlung |
| Formation | 7 October 1949 |
| First holder |
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| Final holder |
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| Abolished |
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Leaders of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)
File:Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands Logo.svg
Logo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
| No. | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Chairmen of the Socialist Unity Party Vorsitzende der Sozialistischen Einheitspartei Deutschlands | |||||||
| . | Wilhelm Pieck (1876–1960) | 22 April 1946 | 25 July 1950 | 4 years, 94 days | SED | ||
| . | Otto Grotewohl (1894–1964) | 22 April 1946 | 25 July 1950 | 4 years, 94 days | SED | ||
| General Secretary of the Central Committee (First Secretary of the Central Committee 1953–1976) Generalsekretär/Erster Sekretär des Zentralkommitees | |||||||
| 1 | Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973) | 25 July 1950 | 3 May 1971 | 20 years, 282 days | SED | ||
| 2 | Erich Honecker (1912–1994) | 3 May 1971 | 18 October 1989 | 18 years, 168 days | SED | ||
| 3 | Egon Krenz (born 1937) | 18 October 1989 | 6 December 1989 | 49 days | SED | ||
| (Honorary) Chairman of the Central Committee Vorsitzender des Zentralkommitees | |||||||
| 1 | Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973) | 3 May 1971 | 1 August 1973 † | 2 years, 90 days | SED | ||
On 1 December 1989, the People's Chamber removed the section of the East German Constitution granting the SED a monopoly of power—thus ending Communist rule in East Germany. Before the month was out, the SED transformed from a Leninist cadre party into a democratic socialist party, renaming itself first to Socialist Unity Party — Party of Democratic Socialism and later in the same year, to Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS). Hence, the party's subsequent leaders were no more leaders of East Germany than the leaders of other parties.
Heads of state
| No. | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Republic Präsident der Republik | |||||
| 60px | Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969) Acting President |
7 October 1949 | 11 October 1949 | LDPD | |
| 1 | 60px | Wilhelm Pieck (1876–1960) |
11 October 1949 | 7 September 1960 | SED |
| 60px | Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969) Acting President |
7 September 1960 | 12 September 1960 | LDPD | |
| Chairman of the State Council Vorsitzender des Staatsrats | |||||
| 1 | 60px | Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973) |
12 September 1960 | 1 August 1973 | SED |
| 60px | Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979) Acting Chairman |
1 August 1973 | 3 October 1973 | SED | |
| 2 | 60px | Willi Stoph (1914–1999) |
3 October 1973 | 29 October 1976 | SED |
| 3 | 60px | Erich Honecker (1912–1994) |
29 October 1976 | 18 October 1989 | SED |
| 4 | File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1984-0622-026, Egon Krenz.jpg | Egon Krenz (born 1937) |
18 October 1989 | 6 December 1989 | SED |
| 5 | 60px | Manfred Gerlach (1928–2011) |
6 December 1989 | 5 April 1990 | LDPD |
| President of the People's Chamber of the GDR Präsident der Volkskammer | |||||
| 1 |  |
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl (born 1946) |
5 April 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Heads of government
| No. | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vorsitzender des Ministerrats | |||||
| 1 | File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-19204-3150, Otto Grotewohl.jpg | Otto Grotewohl (1894–1964) |
12 October 1949 | 21 September 1964 | SED |
| 2 | 60px | Willi Stoph (1914–1999) |
21 September 1964 | 3 October 1973 | SED |
| 3 |  |
Horst Sindermann (1915–1990) |
3 October 1973 | 29 October 1976 | SED |
| (2) | 60px | Willi Stoph (1914–1999) |
29 October 1976 | 13 November 1989 | SED |
| 4 |  |
Hans Modrow (1928–2023) |
13 November 1989 | 12 April 1990 | SED / PDS |
| 5 |  |
Lothar de Maizière (born 1940) |
12 April 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Heads of parliament
| No. | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the People's Chamber Präsident der Volkskammer | |||||
| 1 | 60px | Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969) |
7 October 1949 | 22 February 1969 | LDPD |
| 2 |  |
Gerald Götting (1923–2015) |
12 May 1969 | 29 October 1976 | CDU |
| 3 | |
Horst Sindermann (1915–1990) |
29 October 1976 | 13 November 1989 | SED |
| 4 |  |
Günther Maleuda (1931–2012) |
13 November 1989 | 5 April 1990 | DBD |
| 5 | |
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl (born 1946) |
5 April 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Heads of the military
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| No. | Chairman of the National Defense Council Vorsitzender des Nationalen Verteidigungsrates |
Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973) | 10 February 1960 | 3 May 1971 | 11 years, 82 days | SED | ||
| 2 | Erich Honecker (1912–1994) | 3 May 1971 | 18 October 1989 | 18 years, 168 days | SED | ||
| 3 | Egon Krenz (born 1937) | 18 October 1989 | 6 December 1989 | 49 days | SED | ||
Leadership Of East Germany Media
- Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R1220-401, Erich Honecker.jpg
- For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme.
- Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1989-1117-431, Hans Modrow, Dr..jpg
- For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme.
- De Maizière (Portrait).jpg
- For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme.
- Flag of the Chairman of the National Defence Council of East Germany.svg
Standard of the chairman of the National Defence Council