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Walter Ulbricht (30 June 1893 – 1 August 1973) was a German Communist politician. He was an early leader of the German Communist Party during the Weimar Republic. The rise of the Nazi Party in 1933 forced Ulbricht into exile. He quickly made himself useful to the Soviet Union, where he resided from 1937 until the end of World War II. As First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1950 to 1971, he served as the de facto leader the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). After President Wilhelm Pieck's death in 1960, Ulbricht was also the East German head of state until his own death in 1973.
Walter Ulbricht in The Man With the Iron Heart[]
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Walter Ulbricht repeatedly demonstrated his devotion to Communism, and by extension, to the Soviet Union. After World War II, the Soviet authorities found Ulbricht useful as they established Communist regime in their occupation zone in Germany.
After Kondrad Adenauer was killed by the German Freedom Front, Soviet officials tightened their protection of Ulbricht. Some, such as Vladimir Bokov, weren't happy with the idea of protecting any German, but realized that they'd never find anyone else as loyal as Ulbricht, and that Ulbricht's death would just be another win for the GFF.[1]
References[]
- ↑ The Man With the Iron Heart, pgs. 197-198.
| Party political offices (OTL) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New creation |
General Secretary (First Secretary) of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 |
Succeeded by Erich Honecker |
| Political offices (OTL) | ||
| Preceded by Wilhelm Pieck As President |
Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) 1960-1973 |
Succeeded by Willi Stoph |
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