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Horst Brünner
Horst Brünner (1929–2008) was deputy Defense Minister in the East Germany, East German Council of Ministers of the GDR, Council of Ministers and chief of the Central Political Administration of the National People's Army. Life The son of a bricklayer, Brünner trained between 1943 and 1946 for a career in industry and commerce. In 1945 the frontier between Poland and Germany Oder–Neisse line, moved west and Brünner was one of the millions of Germans Flight and expulsion of Germans from Poland during and after World War II, obliged to relocate as part of this Potsdam Agreement, militarily and politically driven process, ending up in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany which was in the process of becoming the German Democratic Republic, German Democratic Republic (East Germany). In 1947 he switched to railway construction work. He joined the Free German Youth, FDJ in 1946,:de:Junge Generation (Zeitschrift), Junge Generation (newspaper) Nr. 2 / 1981 and the new coun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Generaloberst
A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German '' Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. The rank was equal to a four-star full general but below a '' Generalfeldmarschall''. The rank was equivalent to a '' Generaladmiral'' in the ''Kriegsmarine'' until 1945 or to a '' Flottenadmiral'' in the '' Volksmarine'' until 1990. It was the highest ordinary military rank and the highest military rank awarded in peacetime; the higher rank of general field marshal was awarded only in wartime by the head of state. In general, a ''Generaloberst'' had the same privileges as a general field marshal. A literal translation of ''Generaloberst'' would be "uppermost general", but it is often translated as "colonel-general" by analogy to ''Oberst'', "colonel", such as in countries in which the rank was adopted like Russia (). "Oberst" derives from the su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patriotic Order Of Merit
The Patriotic Order of Merit (German: ''Vaterländischer Verdienstorden'', or VVO) was a national award granted annually in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was founded in 1954 and was awarded to individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions to the state and society in various areas of life. Classes * Honor clasp, in Gold * Gold, 1st class * Silver, 2nd class * Bronze, 3rd class The award The official language for the award stipulated it was given "for outstanding merit": * "in the struggle of the German and international labor movement and in the fight against fascism," * "in the establishment, consolidation and fortification of the German Democratic Republic," * "in the fight to secure peace and advance the international influence of the German Democratic Republic".Auszeichnungen in der DDR Die D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Democratic Republic
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally viewed as a communist state and described itself as a Socialist state, socialist "workers' and peasants' state". The Economy of East Germany, economy of the country was Central planning, centrally planned and government-owned corporation, state-owned. Although the GDR had to pay substantial war reparations to the Soviets, its economy became the most successful in the Eastern Bloc. Before its establishment, the country's territory was administered and occupied by Soviet forces following the Berlin Declaration (1945), Berlin Declaration abolishing German sovereignty in World War II. The Potsdam Agreement established the Soviet occupation zone in Germany, Soviet-occupied zone, bounded on the east b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soviet Occupation Zone
The Soviet occupation zone in Germany ( or , ; ) was an area of Germany that was occupied by the Soviet Union as a communist area, established as a result of the Potsdam Agreement on 2 August 1945. On 7 October 1949 the German Democratic Republic (GDR), commonly referred to in English as East Germany, was formally established in the Soviet occupation zone. The SBZ was one of the four Allied occupation zones of Germany created at the end of World War II with the Allied victory. According to the Potsdam Agreement, the Soviet Military Administration in Germany (German initials: SMAD) was assigned responsibility for the middle portion of Germany. Eastern Germany beyond the Oder-Neisse line, equal in territory to the SBZ, was to be annexed by the Polish People's Republic and its population expelled, pending a final peace conference with Germany. By the time armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom began to meet Soviet Union forces, forming the Line of Contact, si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Potsdam Agreement
The Potsdam Agreement () was the agreement among three of the Allies of World War II: the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union after the war ended in Europe that was signed on 1 August 1945 and published the following day. A product of the Potsdam Conference, it concerned the military occupation and reconstruction of Germany, its border, and the entire European Theatre of War territory. It also addressed Germany's demilitarisation, reparations, the prosecution of war criminals and the mass expulsion of ethnic Germans from various parts of Europe. France was not invited to the conference but formally remained one of the powers occupying Germany. Executed as a communiqué, the agreement was not a peace treaty according to international law, although it created accomplished facts. It was superseded by the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany signed on 12 September 1990. As De Gaulle had not been invited to the Conference, the French resi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flight And Expulsion Of Germans From Poland During And After World War II
The flight and expulsion of Germans from Poland was the largest of a series of Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950), flights and expulsions of Germans in Europe during and after World War II. The German population fled or was expelled from all regions which are Territorial changes of Poland after World War II, currently within the territorial boundaries of Poland: including the former eastern territories of Germany annexed by Poland after the war and parts of Second Polish Republic, pre-war Poland; despite acquiring territories from Germany, the Poles themselves were also expelled from the former eastern territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union. West Germany, West German government figures of those evacuated, migrated, or expelled by 1950 totaled 8,129,800 (6,981,000 from the former eastern territories of Germany; 290,800 from Free City of Danzig, Danzig, 688,000 from pre-war Poland and 170,000 Baltic Germans resettled in Poland during the war). Research by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oder–Neisse Line
The Oder–Neisse line (, ) is an unofficial term for the Germany–Poland border, modern border between Germany and Poland. The line generally follows the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers, meeting the Baltic Sea in the north. A small portion of Polish territory does fall west of the line, including the cities of Szczecin and Świnoujście (German: ''Stettin'' and ''Swinemünde''). In post-war Poland the government described the Oder–Neisse line as the result of tough negotiations between Polish Communists and Stalin. However, according to the modern Institute of National Remembrance, Polish aspirations had no impact on the outcome; rather the idea of a westward shift of the Polish border was adopted synthetically by Stalin, who was the final arbiter in the matter. Stalin's political goals as well as his desire to foment enmity between Poles and Germans influenced his idea of a swap of western for eastern territory, thus ensuring control over both countries. As with before t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helmut Müller-Enbergs
Helmut Müller-Enbergs (born Haltern/North Rhine-Westphalia, NRW 1960) is a German political scientist who has written extensively on the Stasi and related aspects of the German Democratic Republic's history. Life Müller-Enbergs studied Political sciences between 1986 and 1989, initially at the University of Münster, "Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität“ in Münster and subsequently at the Otto-Suhr-Institut, Otto Suhr Institute (part of the Free University of Berlin). From 1986 till 1989 he was a research student, later becoming a research assistant at the Free University of Berlin, Free University's Central Research Institute. Meanwhile, he turned up as a press spokesperson for the Alliance 90, "Bündnis 90" (moderate) political grouping in the Landtag of Brandenburg, Brandenburg regional parliament, where he also provided technical support to the Manfred Stolpe, Stolpe :de:Untersuchungsausschuss, committee of enquiry. Since 1992 he has been a research officer with the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National People's Army
The National People's Army (, ; NVA ) were the armed forces of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic (DDR) from 1956 until 1990. The NVA was organized into four branches: the (Ground Forces), the (Navy), the (Air Force) and the (Border Troops). The NVA belonged to the Ministry of National Defence (East Germany), Ministry of National Defence and commanded by the National Defense Council of East Germany, which was headquartered in Strausberg - east of East Berlin. From 1962, conscription was mandatory for all DDR males aged between 18 and 60 requiring an 18-month service, and it was the only Warsaw Pact military to offer non-combat roles to conscientious objectors, known as "construction soldiers" (). The NVA reached 175,300 personnel at its peak in 1987. The NVA was formed on 1 March 1956 to succeed the (Barracked People's Police) and under the influence of the Soviet Army became one of the Warsaw Pact militaries opposing NATO during the Cold War. The majority of NAT ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Council Of Ministers Of The GDR
The Council of Ministers (, ) was the executive organ of the People's Chamber of the German Democratic Republic from November 1950 until the country was reunified on 3 October 1990.Starcevi, Nesha (8 November 1989East German Government Resigns, Pro-Reform Marches Continuein AP News. Retrieved 30 August 2019. Originally formed as a body of 18 members, by 1989 the council consisted of 44 members. Under the Constitution of East Germany, the Council of Ministers was formally defined as the government of East Germany. The same Constitution, however, officially confirmed the leading role of the Socialist Unity Party (SED). Hence, for most of the GDR's existence, the Council of Ministers was not the highest authority in the country, but was charged with implementing the SED's policies into practical administration. In particular, ministers were subordinate to the secretary of the Central Committee responsible for their portfolio, and, at least unofficially, to the General Secretary. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally viewed as a communist state and described itself as a Socialist state, socialist "workers' and peasants' state". The Economy of East Germany, economy of the country was Central planning, centrally planned and government-owned corporation, state-owned. Although the GDR had to pay substantial war reparations to the Soviets, its economy became the most successful in the Eastern Bloc. Before its establishment, the country's territory was administered and occupied by Soviet forces following the Berlin Declaration (1945), Berlin Declaration abolishing German sovereignty in World War II. The Potsdam Agreement established the Soviet occupation zone in Germany, Soviet-occupied zone, bounded on the east b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
