Willi Kreikemeyer
Encyclopedia
Willi Kreikemeyer was a German labourer and a Communist. From 1941 he and his wife Marthe Kreikemeyer were close assistants of Noel Field
who supported German anti-Nazi refugees in France and Switzerland.
After the Second World War they settled in East Berlin
. In 1949 Kreikemeyer became Director General of the East German railway company Deutsche Reichsbahn
.
When in 1950 the slandering campaign started against Noel Field - he was accused of having built an anti-Communist spy network while pretending to be a Communist sympathizer - Kreikemeyer was arrested and never seen again. At least one propaganda article against the alleged spy was published in an East German newspaper and a show trial against him was prepared, but never took place. Mrs Kreikemeyer wrote dozens of letters to the GDR authorities inquiring about her husband's fate. For seven years the authorities pretended that Willi Kreikemeyer was alive and well, waiting for his trial. Fearing her own arrest, Mrs Kreikemeyer escaped to her home country France
in 1954. She continued writing her letters. In 1957 she was told that Willi Kreikemeyer had died a few days after his imprisonment.
Erich Mielke
(later the East German Minister of State Security
) had been responsible for the detainee. In a confidential document he claimed that Kreikemeyer had committed suicide in his prison cell on 31 August 1950. This story has been proven to be a lie. But what really happened to Kreikemeyer can hardly be reconstructed.
Today it is known that Kreikemeyer named Mielke as one of the persons supported by Noel Field. That information threatened Mielke's career: according to a Soviet order, people, who had spent the war in the West had to resign from public office. (In his official CV
, Mielke claimed that he had fought in the Red Army
during World War II). What's more, alleged collaboration with an "American spy" could have led to the death penalty.
It is therefore likely that Willi Kreikemeyer was murdered on behalf of Erich Mielke.
Noel Field
Noel Field , was an American citizen. While employed at the United States Department of State in the 1930s, he was a Soviet spy...
who supported German anti-Nazi refugees in France and Switzerland.
After the Second World War they settled in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
. In 1949 Kreikemeyer became Director General of the East German railway company Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn of the GDR
The Deutsche Reichsbahn or DR was the operating name of state owned railways in the German Democratic Republic ....
.
When in 1950 the slandering campaign started against Noel Field - he was accused of having built an anti-Communist spy network while pretending to be a Communist sympathizer - Kreikemeyer was arrested and never seen again. At least one propaganda article against the alleged spy was published in an East German newspaper and a show trial against him was prepared, but never took place. Mrs Kreikemeyer wrote dozens of letters to the GDR authorities inquiring about her husband's fate. For seven years the authorities pretended that Willi Kreikemeyer was alive and well, waiting for his trial. Fearing her own arrest, Mrs Kreikemeyer escaped to her home country France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1954. She continued writing her letters. In 1957 she was told that Willi Kreikemeyer had died a few days after his imprisonment.
Erich Mielke
Erich Mielke
Erich Fritz Emil Mielke was a German communist politician and Minister of State Security—and as such head of the Stasi —of the German Democratic Republic between 1957 and 1989. Mielke spent more than a decade as an operative of the NKVD during the rule of Joseph Stalin...
(later the East German Minister of State Security
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
) had been responsible for the detainee. In a confidential document he claimed that Kreikemeyer had committed suicide in his prison cell on 31 August 1950. This story has been proven to be a lie. But what really happened to Kreikemeyer can hardly be reconstructed.
Today it is known that Kreikemeyer named Mielke as one of the persons supported by Noel Field. That information threatened Mielke's career: according to a Soviet order, people, who had spent the war in the West had to resign from public office. (In his official CV
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
, Mielke claimed that he had fought in the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during World War II). What's more, alleged collaboration with an "American spy" could have led to the death penalty.
It is therefore likely that Willi Kreikemeyer was murdered on behalf of Erich Mielke.