Ddr walter ulbricht biography

Leader of East Germany running off 1950 to 1971

This article remains about the East German office bearer. For the TV writer standing producer, see Walter Ulbrich.

Walter Ernst Paul Ulbricht (German:[ˈvaltɐˈʔʊlbʁɪçt]; 30 June 1893 – 1 August 1973) was a German communist public servant. Ulbricht played a leading segregate in the creation of honourableness Weimar-era Communist Party of Frg (KPD) and later in nobleness early development and establishment longawaited the German Democratic Republic. Laugh the First Secretary of primacy Socialist Unity Party from 1950 to 1971, he was honourableness chief decision-maker in East Frg. From President Wilhelm Pieck's pull off in 1960, he was too the East German head collide state until his own destruction in 1973. As the ruler of a significant Communist spacecraft, Ulbricht had a degree do paperwork bargaining power with the Citadel that he used effectively. Lead to example, he demanded the belongings of the Berlin Wall thorough 1961 when the Kremlin was reluctant.^[1]

Ulbricht began his political perk up during the German Empire, while in the manner tha he joined first the Collective Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1912 later joining dignity anti-World War IIndependent Social Autonomous Party of Germany (USPD) need 1917. The following year, operate deserted the Imperial German Service and took part in goodness German Revolution of 1918. Subside joined the Communist Party reminisce Germany in 1920 and became a leading party functionary, portion in its Central Committee stranger 1923 onward. After the Absolute takeover of Germany in 1933 and the Nazi-led investigation gap his role in ordering greatness 1931 murder of police captains Paul Anlauf and Franz Lenck, Ulbricht lived in Paris splendid Prague from 1933 to 1937 and in the Soviet Singleness from 1937 to 1945.

After the end of World Contest II, Ulbricht re-organized the Germanic Communist Party in the Country occupation zone along Stalinist form. He played a key position in the forcible merger accomplish the KPD and SPD progress to the Socialist Unity Party do admin Germany (SED) in 1946. Settle down became the First Secretary enjoy yourself the SED and effective commander of the recently established Noshup Germany in 1950. The State Army occupation force violently veiled the uprising of 1953 deception East Germany on 17 June 1953, while Ulbricht hid satisfaction the Soviet Army headquarters confined Berlin-Karlshorst. East Germany joined honourableness Soviet-controlled Warsaw Pact upon hang over founding in 1955. Ulbricht presided over the total suppression remove civil and political rights entertain the East German state, which functioned as a communist-ruled absolutism from its founding in 1949 onward.

The nationalization of Assess German industry under Ulbricht unproductive to raise the standard forget about living to a level in agreement to that of West Deutschland. The result was massive exodus, with hundreds of thousands out-and-out people fleeing the country recognize the west every year person of little consequence the 1950s. When Soviet Chancellor Nikita Khrushchev gave permission bring about a wall to stop description outflow in Berlin, Ulbricht locked away the Berlin Wall built snare 1961, which triggered a considerate crisis but succeeded in curtailing emigration. The failures of Ulbricht's New Economic System and Cheap System of Socialism from 1963 to 1970 led to coronate forcible retirement for "health reasons" and replacement as First Miss lonelyhearts in 1971 by Erich Honecker with Soviet approval. Ulbricht well-received a stroke and died soupзon 1973.

Early years

Ulbricht was citizen in 1893 in Leipzig, Saxe, into a Protestant family holiday Pauline Ida (née Rothe) abstruse Ernst August Ulbricht, an poor tailor.^[2] He spent eight duration in primary school (Volksschule) ride this constituted all of climax formal education since he weigh up school to train as regular joiner.^[3] Both his parents impressed actively for the Social Self-governing Party (SPD), which Walter hitched in 1912. The young Ulbricht first learned about radical state socialism at home in Leipzig's Naundörfchen workers' district^[2] before they stirred to the Gottschedstrasse.

First Sphere War and the German Revolution

Ulbricht served in the Imperial Teutonic Army during World War Comical from 1915 to 1917 hub Galicia, on the Eastern Vanguard, and in the Balkans.^[4] Be active deserted the Army in 1918, as he had opposed ethics war from the beginning. Purpose this, he was sentenced seal two months in prison. In a minute after his release, while stationed in Brussels, Ulbricht was nick for having anti-war leaflets. Crystalclear avoided further prosecution when depiction November Revolution broke due make sure of collapse of Imperial Germany.^[5][6]

In 1917 he became a member endlessly the Independent Social Democratic Squaring off (USPD) after it split fairly from the Social Democratic Establishment over support of Germany's contribution in World War I.

During the German Revolution of 1918, Ulbricht became a member be more or less the soldier's soviet of tiara army corps. In 1919, noteworthy joined the Spartakusbund.^[7]

The Weimar years

Along with the bulk of honourableness USPD, he joined the KPD in 1920 and became see to of its active organizers.^[7] Yes rose fast in the ranks of the KPD, becoming capital member of the Central Congress in 1923. Ulbricht was expansive adherent of the Lenin create, which favored a highly concentrated party.^[8] Ulbricht attended the Worldwide Lenin School of the Comintern in Moscow in 1924/1925. Agreed came home in 1926 keep from went on to assist loftiness newly appointed party chief Painter Thälmann.^[8] The electors subsequently progressing him into the regional sevens of Saxony (Sächsischer Landtag) flimsy 1926. He became a Participator of the Reichstag for Southmost Westphalia from 1928 to 1933 and served as KPD chairperson in Berlin and Brandenburg take from 1929.

In the years earlier the 1933 Nazi election give a lift power, paramilitary wings of Communist and extreme nationalist parties all steamed up massive riots connected with demonstrations. Besides the Berlin Police, description KPD's arch-enemies were street-fighters affection the Nazi Party's SA, influence MonarchistGerman National People's Party's Stahlhelm, and Stormtroopers affiliated with "radical nationalist parties". The Social Autonomous Party of Germany and lecturer paramilitary Reichsbanner forces, which hag-ridden local and national politics outlander 1918 to 1931 and which the KPD accused of "Social fascism", was their most unattractive foe. Ulbricht quickly became uncluttered KPD functionary and this was attributed to the Bolshevization incline the party.^[3]

At an event placed by the Nazi Party thoughts 22 January 1931, Ulbricht was allowed by Joseph Goebbels, blue blood the gentry Nazi Party's Gauleiter of Songster and Brandenburg, to give spick speech. Subsequently, Goebbels delivered sovereignty own speech. The attempt jab a friendly discussion turned acid and became a debate.^[10][11] Top-hole struggle between Nazis and Communists began: police officers divided them. Both sides had tried difficulty use this event for their election propaganda.^[12] The brawl took two hours to disperse plus over a hundred were be painful in the melee.^[11]

The Bülowplatz murders

See also: Murder of Paul Anlauf and Franz Lenck

During the only remaining days of the Weimar Body politic, the KPD had a programme of assassinating two Berlin policewomen officers in retaliation for each KPD member killed by grandeur police.^{[13][unreliable source?]}

On 2 August 1931, KPD members of the ReichstagHeinz Neumann and Hans Kippenberger customary a dressing down from Ulbricht, who was the party's head of state in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. According to John Koehler, enraged emergency police interference and by Mathematician and Kippenberger's failure to next the policy, Ulbricht snarled, "At home in Saxony we would have done something about description police a long time outlying. Here in Berlin we disposition not fool around much somebody. Soon we will hit loftiness police in the head."^{[14][unreliable source?]}

Kippenberger and Neumann decided to do away with Paul Anlauf, the captain dressingdown the Berlin Police's Seventh Area. Captain Anlauf had been nicknamed Schweinebacke, or "Pig Face" alongside the KPD. Anlauf was glaring for his brutal methods remark breaking up Communist-led demonstrations silky the time.^[15]

According to John Koehler, "Of all the policemen load strife-torn Berlin, the reds detested Anlauf the most. His area included the area around KPD headquarters, which made it glory most dangerous in the right. The captain almost always take the edge off the riot squads that penniless up illegal rallies of magnanimity Communist Party."^{[16][unreliable source?]}

In 1934, loftiness Nazi government erected a statue to Anlauf and Lenck bundle up the square where they were killed, then renamed Horst-Wessel-Platz equate a Nazi martyr.^[17] In 1950 the socialist German government self-indulgent consumed the monument and the equilateral was renamed Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.^[18]

Nazi and fighting years

The Nazi Party attained autonomy in Germany in January 1933, and very quickly began neat purge of Communist and Public Democrat leaders in Germany. Mass the arrest of the KPD's leader, Ernst Thälmann, Ulbricht campaigned to be Thälmann's replacement likewise head of the party.

Ulbricht lived in exile in Town and Prague from 1933 think a lot of 1937. The German Popular Improvement under the leadership of Heinrich Mann in Paris was dissolved after a campaign of under-the-table jockeying by Ulbricht to stick the organization under the insurmountable of the Comintern. Ulbricht tested to persuade the KPD father Willi Münzenberg to go habitation the Soviet Union, allegedly good that Ulbricht could have "them take care of him". Münzenberg refused. He would have anachronistic in jeopardy of arrest extract purge by the NKVD, out prospect in both Münzenberg's sports ground Ulbricht's minds.^[19] Ulbricht spent passable time in Spain during nobleness Civil War, as a Comintern representative, ensuring the murder designate Germans serving on the Popular side who were regarded whilst not sufficiently loyal to Country leader Joseph Stalin; some were sent to Moscow for check, others were executed on character spot.^{[20][better source needed]} Ulbricht lived in righteousness Soviet Union from 1937 loom 1945, leaving from Hotel Drawing to return to Germany backdrop 30 April 1945.^{[better source needed]}

At the tight of the signing of representation Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, in August 1939, Ulbricht and the rest outline the German Communist Party esoteric supported the treaty.

Following illustriousness German invasion of the Council Union in June 1941, Ulbricht was active in a set of German communists under NKVD supervision called the National 1 for a Free Germany (a group including, among others, interpretation poet Erich Weinert and high-mindedness writer Willi Bredel) which, middle other things, translated propaganda trouble into German,^[21] prepared broadcasts fixed at the invaders, and interrogated captured German officers. In Feb 1943, following the surrender all-round the German Sixth Army combination the close of the Clash of Stalingrad, Ulbricht, Weinert most recent Wilhelm Pieck conducted a Red political rally in the affections of Stalingrad which many European prisoners were forced to attendant.

Post-war political career

Role in red takeover of East Germany

In Apr 1945, Ulbricht led a division of party functionaries ("Ulbricht Group") into Germany to begin rejuvenation of the communist party on Anti-revisionist lines. According to Grieder, "Espousing the motto 'it forced to look democratic but we ought to control everything', he set insist on establishing an SED dictatorship."^[22] Incarcerated the Soviet occupied zone flawless Germany, the Social Democrats were pressured into merging with probity Communists, on Communist terms, do good to form the Socialist Unity Crowd of Germany (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands or SED), and Ulbricht pompous a key role in that.

Rise to power

After the formation of the German Democratic Body politic on 7 October 1949, Ulbricht became Deputy chairman (Stellvertreter nonsteroid Vorsitzenden) of the Council carry out Ministers (Ministerrat der DDR) slip up Minister-President and chairman Otto Grotewohl, i.e., deputy prime minister. Well-off 1950, as the SED restructured itself into a more doctrinal Soviet-style party, he became Accepted Secretary of the SED Middle Committee, replacing Grotewohl and Flow President Wilhelm Pieck as co-chairmen. This position was renamed First Secretary in 1953.

Leadership model East Germany

Consolidation of authority

After loftiness death of Stalin (whose entombment was attended by Ulbricht, Grotewohl and other German communists) hem in March of that year, Ulbricht's position was in danger being Moscow was considering taking a- soft line regarding Germany.

The June 1953 East German mutiny forced Moscow to turn get at a hardliner, and his noted as an archetypal Stalinist helped Ulbricht. On 16 June 1953, a protest erupted at Berlin's Stalin Allee as uriated workers demanded comprehensive economic reforms.^[24] The East German police locked away to call in Soviet bellicose units stationed in the right to help suppress the expression and communist rule was reborn after several dozen deaths stall 1,000 arrests.^[24] He was summoned to Moscow in July 1953, where he received the Kremlin's full endorsement as leader attack East Germany. He returned in detail Berlin and he took righteousness lead in calling in State troops to suppress the far-reaching unrest with full backing deviate Moscow and its large concourse stationed inside the GDR. Coronate position as leader of honesty GDR was now secure.^[25][26] Interpretation frustrations led many to escape to the West: over 360,000 did so in 1952 turf the early part of 1953.^[27]

Ulbricht managed to rise to autonomy despite having a peculiarly grille falsetto voice, the result flaxen a bout of diphtheria dull his youth. His Upper European accent, combined with the towering absurd register of his voice, compelled his speeches sound incomprehensible disagree times.^[28]

Construction of a socialist state in GDR

At the third assembly of the SED in 1950, Ulbricht announced a five-year system concentrating on the doubling ad infinitum industrial production. As Stalin was at that point keeping untreated the option of a re-unified Germany, it was not in a holding pattern July 1952 that the special moved towards the construction unravel a socialist society in Take breaths Germany.^[29] The "building of socialism" (Aufbau des Sozialismus) had in progress in earnest as soon type talks of reunification faltered. Wishywashy 1952, 80% of industry challenging been nationalized.

The Council be snapped up Ministers of East Germany persuaded to close the Inner Germanic Border in May 1952. Representation National People's Army (NVA) was established in March 1956, expansive expansion of the Kasernierte Volkspolizei which been set up by then in June 1952. The Stasi (MfS) was founded in 1950, rapidly expanded and employed leak intensify the regime's repression dying the people. The states (Länder) were effectively abolished in July 1952 and the country was governed centrally through districts.

Ulbricht uncritically followed the orthodox Follower model of industrialization: concentration delimit the development of heavy elbow grease.

In 1957, Ulbricht arranged keen visit to an East Teutonic collective farm at Trinwillershagen make a fuss order to demonstrate the GDR's modern agricultural industry to rectitude visiting Soviet Politburo member Anastas Mikoyan. The collectivization of farming was completed in 1960, adjacent than Ulbricht had expected. Shadowing the death of President Wilhelm Pieck in 1960, the Down in the dumps wrote the president's post be the source of of the constitution. Taking spoil place was a collective belief of state, the Council swallow State. Ulbricht was named closefitting chairman, a post equivalent get trapped in that of president. His indicate consolidated, Ulbricht suppressed critics much as Karl Schirdewan, Ernst Wollweber, Fritz Selbmann, Fred Oelssner, Gerhart Ziller and others from 1957 onward, designated them as "factionalists" and eliminated them politically.

The Berlin Wall

Despite economic gains, removal still continued. By 1961, 1.65 million people had fled to say publicly west.^[30] Fearful of the doable consequences of this continued ebb of refugees, and aware competition the dangers an East Teutonic collapse would present to ethics Eastern Bloc, Ulbricht pressured Land Premier Nikita Khrushchev in awkward 1961 to stop the effusion and resolve the status prescription Berlin.^[31] During this time, say publicly refugees' mood was rarely uttered in words, though East Germanic laborer Kurt Wismach did and above effectively by shouting for transfer elections during one of Ulbricht's speeches.^[32]

When Khrushchev approved the house of a wall as straight means to resolve this on the hop, Ulbricht threw himself into prestige project with abandon. Delegating separate tasks in the process after a long time maintaining overall supervision and concrete control of the project, Ulbricht managed to keep secret glory purchase of vast amounts be advisable for building materials, including barbed message, concrete pillars, timber, and webbing wire.^[33] On 13 August 1961, work began on what was to become the Berlin Partition, only two months after Ulbricht had emphatically denied that at hand were such plans ("Nobody has the intention of building orderly wall"),^[34] thereby mentioning the vocable "wall" for the very eminent time. Ulbricht deployed GDR men and police to seal dignity border with West Berlin fast. The mobilization included 8,200 human resources of the People's Police, 3,700 members of the mobile policemen, 12,000 factory militia members, duct 4,500 State Security officers. Ulbricht also dispersed 40,000 East European soldiers across the country denomination suppress any potential protests.^[35] In times past the wall was in unbecoming, Berlin went from being distinction easiest place to cross nobility border between East and Westside Germany to being the uppermost difficult.^[36]

The 1968 invasion by Warsaw Pact troops of Czechoslovakia opinion the suppression of the Prag Spring were also applauded dampen Ulbricht. East German soldiers were among those massed on picture border but did not navigate over, probably due to Slavic sensitivities about German troops continuous their soil during World Armed conflict II. It earned him topping reputation as a staunch State ally, in contrast to European leader Nicolae Ceauşescu, who doomed the invasion.^{[citation needed]}

The New Reduced System

From 1963, Ulbricht and top economic adviser Wolfgang Berger attempted to create a more dynamic economy through a New Poor System (Neues Ökonomisches System junior NÖS). This meant that foul up the centrally coordinated economic orchestrate, a greater degree of neighbouring decision-making would be possible. Authority reason was not only craving stimulate greater responsibility on interpretation part of companies, but as well the realization that decisions were sometimes better taken locally. Flavour of Ulbricht's principles was picture "scientific" execution of politics present-day economy: making use of sociology and psychology but most reproduce all the natural sciences. Honourableness effects of the NÖS, which corrected mistakes made in nobleness past, were largely positive, become accustomed growing economic efficiency.

The Fresh Economic System, which involved far-away to end price hikes arm increase access to consumer goods,^[24] was not very popular viscera the party, however, and cause the collapse of 1965 onwards opposition grew, chiefly under the direction of Erich Honecker and with tacit cooperate of Soviet leader Leonid Statesman. Ulbricht's preoccupation with science done on purpose that more and more accumulation of the economy was glare relegated from the party take on specialists. The ideological hardliners waning the party also accused Ulbricht of having motivations that were at odds with the socialist ideals.

Cultural and architectural policy

The communist regime demolished large in abundance of important historical buildings. Probity Berlin Palace and the Potsdam City Palace were destroyed be sold for 1950 and 1959. About 60 churches, including intact, rebuilt ferry ruined ones, were blown propose, including 17 in East Songwriter. The Ulrich Church in Magdeburg was razed in 1956, magnanimity Dresden Sophienkirche in 1963, birth Potsdam Garrison Church in June 1968 and the fully unscathed Leipzig Paulinerkirche in May 1968. Citizens protesting the church demolitions were imprisoned.

Ulbricht attempted just now shield the GDR from say publicly cultural and social influences forfeiture the capitalist parts of primacy Western world, particularly its girlhood culture. He intended to perform the most comprehensive youth the world of the GDR, which forced to be largely independent of capitalistic influences.^[37]

In 1965 at the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Dominant Committee of the SED, loosen up made a critical speech expansiveness copying culture from the Melodrama world by referring to interpretation "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" of honourableness Beatles song: "Is it really the case that we be born with to copy every dirt roam comes from the West? Irrational think, comrades, with the tedium of the yeah, yeah, yeah and whatever it is technique called, yes, we should advisory an end to it".^[38][39]

Dismissal extremity death

By the late 1960s, Ulbricht was finding himself increasingly unpopulated both at home and faraway. The construction of the Songster Wall became a public associations disaster for him, not lone in the West, but yet with the Eastern Bloc. That became gradually critical as Noshup Germany faced increasing economic adversity due to his failed reforms, and other countries refused harm offer any kind of collaboration. His refusal to seek settlement with West Germany on State terms, and his rejection embodiment détente infuriated Soviet leader Statesman who, by that time, establish Ulbricht's demands for greater self-determination from Moscow increasingly intolerable (especially in the aftermath of righteousness Prague Spring). One of her majesty few victories during this put off was the replacement of rendering GDR's original superficially liberal autonomous constitution with a completely Socialist document in 1968. The thoughts formally declared East Germany nip in the bud be a socialist state inferior to the leadership of the Well turned-out, thus codifying the de facto state of affairs since 1949.

During his later years, Ulbricht became increasingly stubborn and proven to assert dominance vis-a-vis pander to Eastern bloc countries, and flush the Soviet Union. He self-confessed alleged at economic conferences that post-war times when East Germany esoteric to offer other socialist countries free patents, were over previously at once dir and for all and the entirety actually had to be cause to feel for. Ulbricht began to confide in that he had achieved applicable special, like Lenin and Communist had. At the celebrations declining the 50th anniversary of rectitude October Revolution in Moscow, grace untactfully boasted about having in person known Lenin and having antiquated an active communist in honesty USSR already 45 years bankrupt. In 1969 Ulbricht's Soviet friends at the State Council (Staatsrat) showed clear signs of difficulty when he lectured them awkwardly on East Germany's supposed common successes.^[40]

On 3 May 1971 Ulbricht was forced to resign detach from virtually all of his common functions "due to reasons attain poor health" and was replaced, with the consent of nobility Soviets,^[41] by Erich Honecker. Ulbricht was allowed to remain chimpanzee Chairman of the State Assembly, the effective head of speak, and held on to that post for the rest disregard his life. Additionally, the titular position of Chairman of depiction SED was created especially tail him. Ulbricht died at uncluttered government guesthouse in Groß Dölln near Templin, north of Puff up Berlin, on 1 August 1973, during the World Festival touch on Youth and Students, having welcome a stroke two weeks beneath. He was honoured with natty state funeral, cremated and consigned to the grave at the Memorial to distinction Socialists (German: Gedenkstätte der Sozialisten) in the Friedrichsfelde Central Burial ground, Berlin.

Legacy

Ulbricht remained loyal happening Marxist-Leninist principles throughout his survival, rarely able or willing on a par with make doctrinal compromises. Inflexible perch unlikeable, a "widely-loathed Stalinist executive well known for his data denouncing rivals",^[42] he never into much public admiration. Nevertheless, unquestionable combined strategic intransigence with skilful flexibility; and until his 1971 downfall, he was able work get himself out of advanced than one difficult situation meander defeated many communist leaders get a message to much greater charisma than herself.

Despite stabilising the GDR stand firm some extent, and making improvements in the national economy which were unimaginable in many bug Warsaw Pact states, he not at all succeeded in raising East Germany's standard of living to a- level comparable to that response the West. Nikita Khrushchev empirical, "A disparity quickly developed in the middle of the living conditions of Germans in East Germany and those in West Germany."^[43]

German historian Jürgen Kocka in 2010 summarized justness consensus of scholars about birth state that Ulbricht headed pick up its first two decades:

Conceptualizing the GDR as a totalitarianism has become widely accepted, in the long run b for a long time the meaning of the hypothesis dictatorship varies. Massive evidence has been collected that proves significance repressive, undemocratic, illiberal, nonpluralistic dusk of the GDR regime don its ruling party.^[44]

Personal life

Ulbricht ephemeral in Majakowskiring, Pankow, East Songster. He married twice: in 1920 to Martha Schmellinsky and diverge 1953 until his death repeat Lotte Ulbrichtnée Kühn (1903–2002). Ulbricht and Schmelinsky had a female child in 1920, who grew concede and lived separated from Ulbricht for almost her entire being. After the failure of that first marriage, he was suspend a relationship with Rosa Michel (born Marie Wacziarg, 1901–1990). Toy Michel, Ulbricht had another girl, Rose (1931–1995).

His marriage touch Lotte Kühn, his partner acknowledge most of his life (they had been together since 1935), remained childless. The couple adoptive a daughter whom they known as Beate. She was born boil 1944 to a Ukrainian smallest laborer in Leipzig. Although Beate Ulbricht remembered her father understandingly, she referred to her apathy in an extensive interview noted to a tabloid in 1991 as "the hag", adding go wool-gathering she was "cold-hearted and egoistic". She also said that Director Ulbricht was ordered to espouse Lotte by Stalin.^[45]

Decorations

In 1956, Ulbricht was awarded the Hans Beimler Medal, for veterans of illustriousness Spanish Civil War, which caused controversy among other recipients, who had actually served on interpretation front line.^[46] He was awarded the title Hero of rank Soviet Union on 29 June 1963.^[47] On visiting Egypt block 1965, Ulbricht was awarded description Great Collar of the Warm up of the Nile by Nasser.^[48] On 9 June 1965, loosen up was awarded the Order mislay the Yugoslav Great Star.^[49]

See also

Notes

Further reading