Georg Dertinger
Encyclopedia
Georg Dertinger was a German
politician from the German Democratic Republic
(East Germany).
He was born in Berlin
into a middle-class Protestant family. Dertinger briefly studied law and economics. After his study he became a journalist and later editor for the Magdeburger Volkszeitung and the nationalistic newspaper Stahlhelm
. He broke with the Stahlhelm because of its rigid right-wing philosophy. He sympathized with the German National People's Party
, a right-wing nationalist party.
Dertinger later became a member of the political circle around Chancellor Franz von Papen
. He accompanied Papen to Rome as a journalist, a representative for the Hamburger Nachrichten, for the signature of the Concordat
between Germany
and the Holy See
, shortly after Hitler became Chancellor.
In 1934 Dertinger returned to Berlin and became publisher of Dienst aus Deutschland, a news agency that provided news to foreign newspapers.
After World War II
Dertinger co-founded the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) in the SBZ (Soviet Occupied Zone) of Germany
. From 1946 to 1949 he was General Secretary of the East-German CDU and from 1949 to 1953 Vice-Chairman of the party. He supported the official line of co-operation with the Socialist Unity Party
and opposed the more independent-minded party chairman Jakob Kaiser
, whom he had deposed in December, 1947.
Dertinger also joined the Cultural Association of the DDR
(Kulturbund) and was a member of the Cultural Association's Presidential Council.
On October 11, 1949 he became East Germany's first Minister of Foreign Affairs in Otto Grotewohl
's cabinet and in 1950 he signed the Oder-Neisse Treaty
with Poland
, that arranged the borderline between East Germany and the Polish People's Republic.
On January 15, 1953 Dertinger was arrested and in 1954 he was tried on a show trial
for espionage, found guilty and sentenced to hard labor (15 years). In 1964 he was given amnesty
. The years before his death he worked for the Roman Catholic
St. Benno publishing house.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician from the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(East Germany).
He was born in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
into a middle-class Protestant family. Dertinger briefly studied law and economics. After his study he became a journalist and later editor for the Magdeburger Volkszeitung and the nationalistic newspaper Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional boiled-leather Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916...
. He broke with the Stahlhelm because of its rigid right-wing philosophy. He sympathized with the German National People's Party
German National People's Party
The German National People's Party was a national conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the NSDAP it was the main nationalist party in Weimar Germany composed of nationalists, reactionary monarchists, völkisch, and antisemitic elements, and...
, a right-wing nationalist party.
Dertinger later became a member of the political circle around Chancellor Franz von Papen
Franz von Papen
Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...
. He accompanied Papen to Rome as a journalist, a representative for the Hamburger Nachrichten, for the signature of the Concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
between Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, shortly after Hitler became Chancellor.
In 1934 Dertinger returned to Berlin and became publisher of Dienst aus Deutschland, a news agency that provided news to foreign newspapers.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Dertinger co-founded the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (East Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ) was an East German political party founded in 1945. It was part of the National Front with the Socialist Unity Party of Germany until 1989....
(CDU) in the SBZ (Soviet Occupied Zone) of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. From 1946 to 1949 he was General Secretary of the East-German CDU and from 1949 to 1953 Vice-Chairman of the party. He supported the official line of co-operation with the Socialist Unity Party
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...
and opposed the more independent-minded party chairman Jakob Kaiser
Jakob Kaiser
Jakob Kaiser was a German politician and resistance leader during World War II.Jakob Kaiser was born in the Franconian town of Hammelburg. Following in his father’s footsteps, Kaiser began a career as a bookbinder...
, whom he had deposed in December, 1947.
Dertinger also joined the Cultural Association of the DDR
Cultural Association of the DDR
The Cultural Association of the GDR was a federation of local clubs in the German Democratic Republic . It formed part of the Socialist Unity Party-led National Front, and sent representatives to the Volkskammer. The association had numerous writers as its member, including Willi Bredel, Fritz...
(Kulturbund) and was a member of the Cultural Association's Presidential Council.
On October 11, 1949 he became East Germany's first Minister of Foreign Affairs in Otto Grotewohl
Otto Grotewohl
Otto Grotewohl was a German politician and prime minister of the German Democratic Republic from 1949 until his death. According to Roth , "He was a figurehead who led various economic commissions, lobbied the Soviets for increased aid, and conducted foreign policy tours in the attempt to break...
's cabinet and in 1950 he signed the Oder-Neisse Treaty
Treaty of Zgorzelec
The Treaty of Zgorzelec between the Republic of Poland and East Germany was signed on 6 July 1950 in Polish Zgorzelec, until 1945 the eastern part of the divided city of Görlitz.The agreement...
with Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, that arranged the borderline between East Germany and the Polish People's Republic.
On January 15, 1953 Dertinger was arrested and in 1954 he was tried on a show trial
Show trial
The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial in which there is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant. The actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as...
for espionage, found guilty and sentenced to hard labor (15 years). In 1964 he was given amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
. The years before his death he worked for the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
St. Benno publishing house.