This project has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
(Grant Agreement n. 669194)
(Leipzig, 13/11/1930)
Head of Department (XVIII) - Ministry of State Security (1974-1989)As head of the Department (XVIII) of the Ministry of State Security he oversaw the work of experts like Horst Roigk and forwarded it to his superiors. His department provided unfiltered expertise on the East German economy and advocated to reduce trade with the West. However, already some in the Ministry of State Security considered this information as explosive and censored it on the way up to the decision-makers.
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The President of the East German Central Bank belonged to those economic experts who were permanently aware of the worsening economic and financial situation of the GDR. In the late 1970s he contributed to analyses warning about rising debts a... |
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As Deputy Minister of the Ministry of State Security, Rudi Mittag, received the unfiltered expertise by the Department (XVIII, Alfred Kleine and Horst Roigk) about the economic situation of the GDR. Archival evidence suggests that he played a ... |
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Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski was the most enigmatic figure of the East German economic elite. As the founding father and head of the Commercial Coordination division (Bereich Kommerzielle Koordinierung or KoKo), he presided over a sector that... |
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As Chairman of the East German State Planning Commission Gerhard Schürer was always part of the inner circle of the GDR’s economic elite. However, his power was limited and Honecker never promoted him to membership in the Politburo.... |
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Without having direct influence on East German economic and foreign policy, the President of the German Foreign Trade Bank Werner Polze was fully aware of the GDR’s financial situation and played a certain role during the debt crisis, es... |
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The head of the East German Ministry of State Security naturally had an in-depth knowledge about the overall situation in the GDR – also regarding economics. Mielke had a close relationship to Erich Honecker and they exchanged their view... |
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As head of the SED’s Department of Planning and Finance, Günter Ehrensperger, was the party’s counterpart of the head of the East German State Planning Commission. However, the actual economic planning was carried out by the S... |
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As head of the Department (XVIII/4) of the Ministry of State Security, Horst Roigk, was among those officials who were entrusted with providing crude facts about the state of the East German economy. They had full access to all information and... |
