Hans-Dieter Fritschler

In 1980, local author Landolf Scherzer asked the Culture Secretary of the Bezirk Suhl SED if he could accompany the First Secretary of the Bezirk SED or of a district SED for a book. He eventually was allowed to accompany Fritschler for four weeks in November and December 1986.^{[1]: 7–8 [7][9][10][11]}

The resulting 1988 book, titled "Der Erste. Protokoll einer Begegnung." (English: The First One. Minutes of an encounter.) provided a unfalsified behind-the-scenes look of the SED and portrayed Fritschler honestly, both as First Secretary as well as in private, including contradictions and self-doubt.^{[7][9][11][12]} Uniquely for a work published before the Peaceful Revolution, it openly discussed deficiencies of the East German command economy,^{[1]: 35–40, 46, 148–150 [7]} especially shortages,^{[1]: 48 [7]} and also societal issues,^[11] including alcoholism.^{[1]: 18–19, 47} This led to the book being dubbed "a small avant-garde piece of Glasnost for the GDR".^[7][11]

Der Erste became a bestseller almost immediately, the first two print runs quickly selling out.^[7][11] The book would later be adapted into a theatre play and a radio drama.^[7][10][13] A second edition published in 1997 added an additional chapter titled "Der letzte Erste" (English: The last First One), covering the events of the Peaceful Revolution in Bad Salzungen in December 1989.^{[1]: 215–240}

Fritschler himself initially faced criticism from within the party, especially in the Bezirk Suhl party organization, where the book was considered taboo.^{[8]: 41–42} His party organization was accused of "hackwork" and of failing to correctly identify and solve problems.^[8]: 42 Hans Albrecht, his superior as First Secretary of the Bezirk Suhl SED, tried to pressure him to rescind critical statements in the book, but he refused.^{[1]: 230 [2]: 205 [12]} Albrecht also attempted to limit the book's circulation by instituting a preferential sale to the National's People Army.^[2]: 205

The internal criticism only subsided when Kurt Hager, Secretary of the Central Committee responsible for culture, approved of the book,^[8]: 42 and it even became required reading for high-ranking SED functionaries.^[7]

Fritschler remained an active member in the SED's successor parties,^[12][14] the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and The Left, serving on the Council of Elders of The Left in Thuringia.^[14]

He initially continued to lead the Bad Salzungen district PDS after the Peaceful Revolution, but eventually resigned.^[2]: 206 After German reunification, he had to move out of his apartment in Bad Salzungen's Nappenplatz and into a Plattenbau, being unable to afford the rent^{[2]: 204 ff.} Him and several members of his family were left unemployed for quite some time.^{[2]: 161, 206} By November 1992, he worked as a helper at a friend's car dealership in Bad Salzungen.^{[2]: 23, 206} He was later employed by the Thuringian PDS,^{[2]: 206 [14]} among other things he served as their campaign manager in the late 1990s and early 2000s.^{[2]: 206 [14][15]} He eventually had to leave this job due to brain surgery and a coma lasting several months,^[14] leaving him disabled and reliant on a wheelchair.^[9]

Fritschler lived in a high-rise Plattenbau in Suhl's city centre with his wife for the rest of his life.^[14] He died in the morning of 19 September 2021 at age 80.^[12][16] Condolences came from Bodo Ramelow, at the time Minister-President of Thuringia.^[16]