Heinz Oehler (1 February 1920 – 26 September 1973) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

trade union leader. Born in Altenberg, Oehler became a printer. In 1939, he was conscripted into the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

, serving until he was taken as a prisoner of war in 1945. He was released at the end of the war, and briefly worked in agriculture before returning to printing. He joined the

Free German Trade Union Federation The Free German Trade Union Federation (german: Freier Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund or ''FDGB'') was the sole national trade union centre of the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) which existed from 1946 and 1990. As a mass organis ...

(FDGB) and the

Socialist Unity Party of Germany The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (german: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, ; SED, ), often known in English as the East German Communist Party, was the founding and ruling party of the German Democratic Republic (GDR; East German ...

(SED). In 1950, Oehler became part of the management of the Pierersche Druckerei printing firm. After taking a course at the Fritz Heckert College in Bernau, he began teaching there, and he also studied at the

Parteihochschule Karl Marx The Party Academy Karl Marx (''Parteihochschule Karl Marx'') was an academy (''Hochschule'') that was founded in 1946 in the Soviet occupation zone. During the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), it was subordinate to the Central Committee ...

. In 1960, he became head of the teaching staff at Fritz Heckert, then deputy director. In 1961, Oehler was appointed as the president of the Industrial Union of Printing and Paper, also serving on the executive of the FDGB. In 1966, he returned to Fritz Heckert as its deputy director, then director in 1969. He remained involved in the printing union, and in 1967 he became the founding president of the

Standing Committee of Trade Unions in the Graphic Industry The Standing Committee of Trade Unions in the Graphic Industry, also known as the Permanent Committee Graphic Arts Unions, was an international trade union federation for workers in the graphic arts industry. History The organization was found ...

. He died in 1973, still in office.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oehler, Heinz 1920 births 1973 deaths German trade unionists People from Altenberg, Saxony