Manfred Gerlach
Encyclopedia
Manfred Gerlach was a German
jurist
and politician (LDPD). He served as the acting Chairman of the Council of State and was thus head of state
of East Germany from 6 December 1989 to 5 April 1990.
and became a member of the resistance during World War II
. In 1943, he founded an illegal anti-fascist youth movement. He was arrested in March 1944 in connection with the plot to assassinate Hitler.
(LDPD) and the Free German Youth
(FDJ) in Leipzig. He was the LDPD youth leader of North-West Saxony from 1946-50. From 1947-52 He was also a member of the executive council of the Saxon LDPD from 1947-52. In the 1950s, he was a mayor (Bürgermeister and deputy Oberbürgermeister) of the city of Leipzig. He served as the LDPD's Vice-Chairman until 1953. From 1954-67, he was the LDPD's General Secretary. At the LDPD's general party congress of 1967, he was elected as chairman of the LDPD. He remained chairman until 10 February 1990. From 1949 to 1990, Gerlach was a member of the People's Chamber. He was also one of the Deputy Chairmen of the Council of State
(de facto Vice-President) of the German Democratic Republic
from 1960 until 1990.
He initially supported the pro-SED (Socialist Unity Party
) line of gleichschaltung of the East German non-communist parties. However, he began to move away from total submissiveness towards the Communist politicians in the late 1970s. Under his leadership, the LDPD developed some small scale contacts with its West German counterparts, the Free Democrats
(FDP). However, as a state functionary, he defended the nationalisation of the last substantive private enterprises. After Erich Honecker
had personally forbidden publication of a book he authored, he began trying to find a new profile for his party and re-adopt authentic liberalism.
Gerlach reportedly welcomed the liberalisation in the USSR started by Mikhail Gorbachev. His support for more liberalisation and pluralism in East Germany earned him remarkable popularity; popularity which he, however, lost due to his hesitant attitude during the overthrow of SED in 1989.
On 13 October 1989, Gerlach was the first important East German politician to publicly question the monopolic role of the SED. His article on the date in LDPD newspaper Der Morgen
arose a furore. However, a meeting of block party leaders the same day did not bring about any remarkable effect on the crisis East Germany had reached. A few days later, on 18 October, Honecker was finally deposed by his own comrades of SED. After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
, Manfred Gerlach was elected Chairman of the Council of State
and thus the first non-communist head of state of the GDR.
In March 1990, Gerlach's party and two other liberal parties merged into the new Bund Freier Demokraten
. In November 1993, Gerlach resigned his FDP party membership. In politics, he has been close to PDS during recent years. Gerlach was a signatory of the Berliner Alternatives Geschichtsforum, which promoted more positive views on GDR
history. Critics of the former communist regime have described these publications co-authored by former GDR high functionaries (e.g. Gerlach, Gerald Götting
, Hans Modrow
etc.) as whitewashing the SED dictatorship and working on the image of current Germany by using antifascist rhetoric.
Gerlach had earned numerous state awards by the GDR, including Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Stern der Völkerfreundschaft in 1964 and 1988 Karl-Marx-Orden
in 1988.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and politician (LDPD). He served as the acting Chairman of the Council of State and was thus head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of East Germany from 6 December 1989 to 5 April 1990.
Early life
Gerlach was born in LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and became a member of the resistance during 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...
. In 1943, he founded an illegal anti-fascist youth movement. He was arrested in March 1944 in connection with the plot to assassinate Hitler.
Political career
After the war, he studied law at the German Academy of State Sciences and Law "Walter Ulbricht" from 1951-54. He worked as editor-in-chief of the Liberal-Democratic newspaper in Halle/Saale. In 1964, he earned his doctorate and would became a professor two decades later, in 1984. He was a co-founder of the Liberal Democratic Party of GermanyLiberal Democratic Party of Germany
The Liberal Democratic Party of Germany ) was a political party in East Germany. Like the other allied parties of the SED in the National Front it had 52 representatives in the Volkskammer.-Foundation:...
(LDPD) and the Free German Youth
Free German Youth
The Free German Youth, also known as the FDJ , was the official socialist youth movement of the German Democratic Republic and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany....
(FDJ) in Leipzig. He was the LDPD youth leader of North-West Saxony from 1946-50. From 1947-52 He was also a member of the executive council of the Saxon LDPD from 1947-52. In the 1950s, he was a mayor (Bürgermeister and deputy Oberbürgermeister) of the city of Leipzig. He served as the LDPD's Vice-Chairman until 1953. From 1954-67, he was the LDPD's General Secretary. At the LDPD's general party congress of 1967, he was elected as chairman of the LDPD. He remained chairman until 10 February 1990. From 1949 to 1990, Gerlach was a member of the People's Chamber. He was also one of the Deputy Chairmen of the Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
(de facto Vice-President) of 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...
from 1960 until 1990.
He initially supported the pro-SED (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...
) line of gleichschaltung of the East German non-communist parties. However, he began to move away from total submissiveness towards the Communist politicians in the late 1970s. Under his leadership, the LDPD developed some small scale contacts with its West German counterparts, the Free Democrats
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
(FDP). However, as a state functionary, he defended the nationalisation of the last substantive private enterprises. After Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976....
had personally forbidden publication of a book he authored, he began trying to find a new profile for his party and re-adopt authentic liberalism.
Gerlach reportedly welcomed the liberalisation in the USSR started by Mikhail Gorbachev. His support for more liberalisation and pluralism in East Germany earned him remarkable popularity; popularity which he, however, lost due to his hesitant attitude during the overthrow of SED in 1989.
On 13 October 1989, Gerlach was the first important East German politician to publicly question the monopolic role of the SED. His article on the date in LDPD newspaper Der Morgen
Der Morgen
Der Morgen was a daily newspaper published in the GDR. Der Morgen was the central organ of the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany. It was published from August 3, 1945 on, six times a week...
arose a furore. However, a meeting of block party leaders the same day did not bring about any remarkable effect on the crisis East Germany had reached. A few days later, on 18 October, Honecker was finally deposed by his own comrades of SED. After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, Manfred Gerlach was elected Chairman of the Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
and thus the first non-communist head of state of the GDR.
In March 1990, Gerlach's party and two other liberal parties merged into the new Bund Freier Demokraten
Association of Free Democrats
The Association of Free Democrats was a liberal coalition formed in East Germany on 12 February 1990. It originally consisted of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Free Democratic Party and the German Forum Party. In the Volkskammer election of the 18 March 1990 the Association of Free Democrats...
. In November 1993, Gerlach resigned his FDP party membership. In politics, he has been close to PDS during recent years. Gerlach was a signatory of the Berliner Alternatives Geschichtsforum, which promoted more positive views on GDR
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...
history. Critics of the former communist regime have described these publications co-authored by former GDR high functionaries (e.g. Gerlach, Gerald Götting
Gerald Götting
Gerald Götting is a former East German Christian Democratic politician.-Life:Götting was born in Nietleben, Province of Saxony, now part of Halle/Saale. During World War II, he served in the Reichsarbeitsdienst, an auxiliary support and supply organization, and later in the Wehrmacht...
, Hans Modrow
Hans Modrow
Hans Modrow is a German politician, best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. He currently is the honorary Chairman of the Left Party....
etc.) as whitewashing the SED dictatorship and working on the image of current Germany by using antifascist rhetoric.
Gerlach had earned numerous state awards by the GDR, including Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Stern der Völkerfreundschaft in 1964 and 1988 Karl-Marx-Orden
Order of Karl Marx
The Order of Karl Marx was the most important order in the German Democratic Republic . Award of the order also included a prize of 20,000 East German marks....
in 1988.