Alfred Lemmnitz
Encyclopedia
Alfred Lemmnitz was East Germany's National Education Minister.
Lemmnitz was born in Taucha
, Saxony
and completed training as a typesetter and studies in economics
at the University of Leipzig
. From 1927 to 1931, he was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD) and youth leader of the Socialist Worker Youth in Moers
. In 1931, he switched to the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD) and joined the Communist Youth League of Germany (Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD), becoming leader of the KJVD subdistrict of Duisburg
-Hamborn.
In 1933, after the Nazis had seized power
, he was working illegally for the KPD and ended up in "protective custody" many times. From October 1933 until 1936, he was at Börgermoor and Esterwegen concentration camps, and until 1937 in pre-trial custody in Duisburg. He was sentenced by the Volksgerichtshof to one year and nine months in prison, released from custody, and banished from the Ruhr area
.
In April, Lemmnitz emigrated to the Netherlands
, where he became a member of the KPD leadership in Amsterdam
. After the Wehrmacht
marched into the Netherlands, he was once again arrested and then sentenced by the Volksgerichtshof to ten years in labour prison (Zuchthaus). Until 1945, he was an inmate at the labour prison in Brandenburg
-Görden.
In 1946, Lemmnitz joined the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
(SED), took his studies up once again, graduating from the University of Leipzig in 1948. From 1948 to 1953, he held the chair for political economy
at the Party College, and then until 1955, he was Professor of Political Economy and Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Rostock
. Until 1956, he was Rector of the College for Financial Science in Potsdam
-Babelsberg, and until 1958, he held the same position at the Berlin College for Economics.
In 1958, he succeeded Fritz Lange
as Minister for National Education, thereby also becoming a member of the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat
) and the Ideological Commission at the SED Central Committee's Politburo. From 1963 to 1965, he was a scientific associate at the Economic Institute of the Academy of Sciences, until 1971, Acting Director of the German Economic Institute, and finally Associate of the Institute for International Politics and Science.
Lemmnitz received in 1958 the Medal for Fighters against Fascism, in 1959 the National Prize of East Germany
, in 1959 and 1970, the Fatherland Order of Merit, in 1975 the Clasp of Honour on the Fatherland Order of Merit, in 1980 the Karl-Marx-Orden, and in 1985 the Star of Friendship of Nations
.
Lemmnitz was born in Taucha
Taucha
Taucha is a town in the district of Nordsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Parthe, 10 km northeast of Leipzig....
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and completed training as a typesetter and studies in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. From 1927 to 1931, he was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD) and youth leader of the Socialist Worker Youth in Moers
Moers
Moers is a German city on the left bank of the Rhine. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel...
. In 1931, he switched to the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD) and joined the Communist Youth League of Germany (Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD), becoming leader of the KJVD subdistrict of Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
-Hamborn.
In 1933, after the Nazis had seized power
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
, he was working illegally for the KPD and ended up in "protective custody" many times. From October 1933 until 1936, he was at Börgermoor and Esterwegen concentration camps, and until 1937 in pre-trial custody in Duisburg. He was sentenced by the Volksgerichtshof to one year and nine months in prison, released from custody, and banished from the Ruhr area
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
.
In April, Lemmnitz emigrated to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, where he became a member of the KPD leadership in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. After the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
marched into the Netherlands, he was once again arrested and then sentenced by the Volksgerichtshof to ten years in labour prison (Zuchthaus). Until 1945, he was an inmate at the labour prison in Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
-Görden.
In 1946, Lemmnitz joined the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED), took his studies up once again, graduating from the University of Leipzig in 1948. From 1948 to 1953, he held the chair for political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
at the Party College, and then until 1955, he was Professor of Political Economy and Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Rostock
University of Rostock
The University of Rostock is the university of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Founded in 1419, it is the oldest and largest university in continental northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area...
. Until 1956, he was Rector of the College for Financial Science in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
-Babelsberg, and until 1958, he held the same position at the Berlin College for Economics.
In 1958, he succeeded Fritz Lange
Fritz Lange
Fritz Lange was a Minister for national education in the German Democratic Republic .- Biography :...
as Minister for National Education, thereby also becoming a member of the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat
Ministerrat
The Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic was the chief executive body of East Germany from November 1950 until the GDR was unified with the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990...
) and the Ideological Commission at the SED Central Committee's Politburo. From 1963 to 1965, he was a scientific associate at the Economic Institute of the Academy of Sciences, until 1971, Acting Director of the German Economic Institute, and finally Associate of the Institute for International Politics and Science.
Lemmnitz received in 1958 the Medal for Fighters against Fascism, in 1959 the National Prize of East Germany
National Prize of East Germany
The National Prize of the German Democratic Republic was an award of the German Democratic Republic given out in three different classes for scientific, artistic, and other meritorious achievement...
, in 1959 and 1970, the Fatherland Order of Merit, in 1975 the Clasp of Honour on the Fatherland Order of Merit, in 1980 the Karl-Marx-Orden, and in 1985 the Star of Friendship of Nations
Star of Friendship of Nations
The Star of People's Friendship was an order awarded by the German Democratic Republic .Established 20 August 1959, it was given to individuals of exceptional merit who had contributed to the "understanding and friendship between nations and preservation of peace".The Star of Friendship of Nations...
.