List of leaders of administrative divisions of East Germany
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This article lists the leaders of administrative divisions of East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, DDR). GDR was a country that existed from 1949 to 1990, when the eastern portion of Germany was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.[1]
Until 1952,[2] GDR was divided into 5 states (German: Länder), from north to south: Mecklenburg, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia.
From 1952 until 1990,[2] GDR was divided into 14 Regions (German: Bezirke), each named after their capitals, from north to south: Rostock, Neubrandenburg, Schwerin, Potsdam, Frankfurt, Magdeburg, Cottbus, Halle, Leipzig, Erfurt, Dresden, Karl-Marx-Stadt (named Chemnitz until the 1953 Karl Marx Year[3]), Gera and Suhl.
Due to its special status, East Berlin (German: Ost-Berlin) was originally not counted as a Bezirk. In 1961, after the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the construction of the Berlin Wall, East Berlin came to be recognised in GDR administration as the Bezirk Berlin, though it retained a special status until the adoption of the revised 1968 Constitution.[4]
Officeholders
Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)
Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD)
German Democratic Party (DDP)
Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU)
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
States (Länder)
Mecklenburg
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Carl Moltmann (1884–1960) | 21 April 1946 | 9 December 1949 |
| 1 | .jpg) | Kurt Bürger (1894–1951) | 21 April 1946 | 28 July 1951 |
| 2 |  | Karl Mewis (1907–1987) | 28 July 1951 | 1 August 1952 |
- State leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the State Administration | |||||
| 1 | .jpg) | Wilhelm Höcker (1886–1955) | 9 July 1945 | 31 July 1945 | SPD |
| President | |||||
| 1 | |
Wilhelm Höcker (1886–1955) |
31 July 1945 | 9 December 1946 | SPD (until 1946) |
| SED (until 1946) | |||||
| Ministers-President | |||||
| 1 | | Wilhelm Höcker (1886–1955) | 9 December 1946 | 20 July 1951 | SED |
| 2 | | Kurt Bürger (1894–1951) | 20 July 1951 | 28 July 1951† | SED |
| 3 | .jpg) | Bernhard Quandt (1903–1999) | 24 August 1951 | 23 July 1952 | SED |
| State Spokesperson (Landessprecher)[5] | |||||
| – | .jpg) |
Martin Brick (born 1939) |
3 August 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Brandenburg
- Party leader
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Willy Sägebrecht (1904–1981) | 21 April 1946 | 23 July 1952 |
| 1 |  | Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979) | 21 April 1946 | 4 December 1948 |
| 2 |  | Paul Bismark (1888–1951) | 4 December 1948 | 2 December 1949 |
- State leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Provisional Administration | |||||
| 1 |  | Karl Steinhoff (1892–1981) | 4 July 1945 | 20 December 1946 | SPD |
| Ministers-President | |||||
| 2 | |
Karl Steinhoff (1892–1981) |
20 December 1946 | 5 December 1949 | SPD (until 1946) |
| SED (until 1946) | |||||
| 2 | .jpg) | Rudolf Jahn (1906–1990) | 5 December 1949 | 23 July 1952 | SED |
| State Spokesperson (Landessprecher)[5] | |||||
| – |  |
Jochen Wolf (1941–2022) |
3 August 1990 | 2 October 1990 | SPD |
Saxony-Anhalt
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Bernard Koenen (1889–1964) | 7 April 1946 | 1 August 1952 |
| 1 | .jpg) | Bruno Böttge (1891–1967) | 7 April 1946 | 4 December 1948 |
| 2 |  | Werner Bruschke (1898–1995) | 4 December 1948 | 1949 |
- State leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ministers-President | |||||
| 1 |  | Erhard Hübener (1881–1952) | 20 July 1945 | 13 August 1949 | LDPD |
| 2 | | Werner Bruschke (1898–1995) | 13 August 1949 | 23 July 1952 | SED |
| State Spokesperson (Landessprecher)[5] | |||||
| – |  |
Karl-Hermann Steinberg |
3 August 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Saxony
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Wilhelm Koenen (1886–1963) | 21 April 1946 | 4 December 1948 |
| 2 |  | Otto Buchwitz (1879–1964) | 21 April 1946 | 4 December 1948 |
| 3 |  | Erich Mückenberger (1910–1998) | 4 December 1948 | 9 December 1949 |
| 4 |  | Ernst Lohagen (1897–1971) | 4 December 1948 | 27 June 1952 |
| 5 |  | Karl Schirdewan (1907–1998) | 27 June 1952 | 26 July 1952 |
- State leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ministers-President | |||||
| 1 |  |
Rudolf Friedrichs (1892–1947) |
1 July 1945 | 13 June 1947† | SPD (until 1946) |
| SED (until 1946) | |||||
| 2 |  | Max Seydewitz (1892–1987) | 31 July 1947 | 23 July 1952 | SED |
| State Spokesperson (Landessprecher)[5] | |||||
| – | |
Rudolf Krause | 3 August 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Thuringia
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Heinrich Hoffmann (1899–1979) | 7 April 1946 | 16 December 1949 |
| 1 |  | Werner Eggerath (1900–1977) | 7 April 1946 | 6 September 1947 |
| 2 | | Erich Kops (1905–1961) | 6 September 1947 | 16 December 1949 |
| 3 | | Erich Mückenberger (1910–1998) | 16 December 1949 | 26 July 1952 |
- State leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader of the State Administration | |||||
| 1 | |
Rudolf Paul (1893–1978) |
16 July 1945 | 4 December 1946 | DDP (until 1946) |
| SED (until 1946) | |||||
| Ministers-President | |||||
| 1 | | Rudolf Paul (1893–1978) | 4 December 1946 | 1 September 1947 | SED |
| 2 | | Werner Eggerath (1900–1977)[a] | 2 September 1947 | 23 July 1952 | SED |
| State Spokesperson (Landessprecher)[5] | |||||
| – | .jpg) |
Josef Duchač (born 1938) |
3 August 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Regions (Bezirke)
Rostock
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Karl Mewis (1907–1987) | 1 August 1952 | 21 July 1961 (promoted to Chairman of the State Planning Commission) |
| 2 |  | Harry Tisch (1927–1995) | 21 July 1961 | 29 April 1975 (transferred to Free German Trade Union Federation) |
| 3 | | Ernst Timm (1926–2005) | 29 April 1975 | 12 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 4 | | Ulrich Peck (born 1948) | 12 November 1989 | January 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Erhard Holweger (1911–1976) | 1952 | 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Erhard Holweger (1911–1976) | August 1952 | 6 August 1952 | SED |
| 2 | | Hans Warnke (1896–1984) | August 1952 | May 1959 | SED |
| 3 | | Harry Tisch (1927–1995) | May 1959 | July 1961 | SED |
| 4 | | Karl Deuscher (1917–1993) | July 1961 | June 1969 | SED |
| 5 | | Willy Marlow (1928–2007) | June 1969 | February 1986 | SED |
| 6 | | Eberhard Kühl (born 1936) | February 1986 | December 1989 | SED |
| 7 | | Götz Kreuzer (born 1940) | December 1989 | 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Hans-Joachim Kalendrusch (born 1939) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Neubrandenburg
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Willi Wiebershausen (1917–1960) | September 1952 | August 1953 |
| 2 | | Max Steffen (1909–1988) | September 1953 | October 1960 (deposed and demoted) |
| 3 |  | Georg Ewald (1926–1973) | October 1960 | 16 February 1963 (transferred to Council of Ministers) |
| 4 |  | Johannes Chemnitzer (1929–2021) | 16 February 1963 | 14 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 5 | | Wolfgang Herrmann (born 1939) | 14 November 1989 | 11 December 1989 |
| 6 | | Jürgen Zelm (born 1953) | 11 December 1989 | 3 March 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Wilhelm Steudte (1897–1973) | 1952 | 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Wilhelm Steudte (1897–1973) | August 1952 | December 1953 | SED |
| 2 |  | Hans Jendretzky (1897–1992) | December 1953 | February 1957 | SED |
| 3 | | Horst Brasch (1922–1989) | 1957 | May 1959 | SED |
| 4 | | Kurt Guter (1921–2001) | May 1959 | July 1962 | SED |
| 5 | | Lothar Geissler (born 1927) | July 1962 | February 1967 | SED |
| 6 | | Adolf Garling (1925–2022) | February 1967 | March 1972 | SED |
| 7 |  | Gottfried Sperling (1921–1991) | April 1972 | November 1977 | SED |
| 8 | | Heinz Simkowski (1931–2008) | November 1977 | January 1990 | SED |
| — | | Wolfgang Otto (born 1947) Acting Chairman | January 1990 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Martin Brick (born 1939) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Schwerin
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Bernhard Quandt (1903–1999) | 1 August 1952 | 28 January 1974 (deposed and demoted to Committee of Antifascist Resistance Fighters) |
| 2 | | Heinz Ziegner (1928–2015) | 28 January 1974 | 3 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 3 | | Hans-Jürgen Audehm (born 1940) | 3 November 1989 | December 1989 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Wilhelm Bick (1903–1980) | 1952 | 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Wilhelm Bick (1903–1980) | August 1952 | June 1958 | SED |
| 2 | | Josef Stadler (1906–1984) | June 1958 | July 1960 | SED |
| 3 | | Michael Grieb (1921–2003) | July 1960 | April 1968 | SED |
| 4 | | Rudi Fleck (1930–2012) | April 1968 | 8 December 1989 | SED |
| — | | Siegfried Hempelt (born 1931) Acting Chairman | December 1989 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Georg Diederich (born 1949) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Potsdam
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Kurt Seibt (1908–2002) | 1 August 1952 | April 1956 (transferred to study at the CPSU Higher Party School "W. I. Lenin") |
| — | | Eduard Götzl (1921–1986) Acting | April 1956 | September 1957 (resumed his role as secretary for economic affairs) |
| (1) | | Kurt Seibt (1908–2002) | September 1957 | 3 June 1964 (transferred to Council of Ministers) |
| 2 | | Werner Wittig (1926–1976) | 3 June 1964 | 8 January 1976† |
| 3 | .jpg) | Günther Jahn (1930–2015) | 23 January 1976 | 15 November 1989 (resigned) |
| 4 | | Heinz Vietze (born 1947) | 15 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Curt Wach (1906–1974) | 1 August 1952 | 8 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Curt Wach (1906–1974) | 8 August 1952 | January 1953 | SED |
| 2 | | Josef Stadler (1906–1984) | April 1953 | February 1957 | SED |
| 3 | | Herbert Rutschke (1905–1978) | February 1957 | June 1960 | SED |
| 4 | | Franz Peplinski (1910–1991) | June 1960 | December 1962 | SED |
| 5 | | Herbert Puchert (1914–1997) | January 1963 | May 1971 | SED |
| 6 | | Günter Pappenheim (1925–2021) | May 1971 | February 1974 | SED |
| 7 | | Werner Eidner (born 1923) | February 1974 | June 1977 | SED |
| 8 | | Herbert Tzschoppe (1927–2023) | June 1977 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Jochen Wolf (1941–2022) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | SPD |
Frankfurt
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Gerhard Grüneberg (1921–1981) | 1 August 1952 | February 1958 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 2 | | Eduard Götzl (1921–1986) | April 1958 | 2 August 1961 (deposed and demoted) |
| 3 | | Erich Mückenberger (1910–1996) | 2 August 1961 | 22 May 1971 (transferred to Central Party Control Commission) |
| 4 | | Hans-Joachim Hertwig (1928–1988) | 22 May 1971 | 28 August 1988† |
| 5 | | Christa Zellmer (1930–2002) | 3 November 1988 | 11 November 1989 (resigned) |
| 6 | | Bernd Meier (1944–2005) | 15 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Franz Peplinski (1910–1991) | 1 August 1952 | 8 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Franz Peplinski (1910–1991) | 8 August 1952 | September 1956 | SED |
| 2 | | Günter Springer (1922–2013) | November 1956 | June 1960 | SED |
| 3 |  | Hans Albrecht (1919–2008) | August 1960 | March 1963 | SED |
| 4 | | Harry Mönch (born 1925) | March 1963 | May 1969 | SED |
| 5 | | Siegfried Sommer (1925–2003) | May 1969 | November 1989 | SED |
| 6 | | Gundolf Baust (1941–2004) | 20 November 1989 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 |  | Britta Schellin (born 1963) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | SPD |
Magdeburg
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Alois Pisnik (1911–2004) | 1 August 1952 | 11 February 1979 (deposed) |
| 2 |  | Kurt Tiedke (1924–2015) | 11 February 1979 | 22 June 1983 (transferred to "Karl Marx" Party Academy) |
| 3 |  | Werner Eberlein (1919–2002) | 22 June 1983 | 12 November 1989 (transferred to Central Party Control Commission) |
| 4 | | Wolfgang Pohl (born 1940) | 12 November 1989 | December 1989 |
| 5 | | Manfred Dunkel | December 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Josef Hegen (1907–1969) | 1952 | 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Josef Hegen (1907–1969) | August 1952 | June 1953 | SED |
| 2 | | Paul Hentschel (1913–1959) | June 1953 | 20 November 1959 | SED |
| — |  | Bruno Kiesler (1925–2011) Acting Chairman | 1957 | 1958 | SED |
| 3 | | Kurt Ranke (1920–1999) | September 1960 | June 1985 | SED |
| 4 | | Siegfried Grünwald (1938–2022) | September 1985 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Wolfgang Braun (1939–2016) | 11 June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Cottbus
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Franz Bruk (1923–1996) | 1 August 1952 | August 1953 |
| 2 | | Albert Stief (1920–1998) | August 1953 | May 1969 |
| 3 | .jpg) | Werner Walde (1926–2010) | 1 June 1969 | 9 November 1989 (resigned) |
| 4 | | Wolfgang Thiel (born 1948) | 13 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Werner Manneberg (1923–2000) | 1 August 1952 | 11 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Werner Manneberg (1923–2000) | 11 August 1952 | June 1959 | SED |
| 2 | | Heinz Krüger (1919–2015) | July 1959 | February 1962 | SED |
| — | | Rudolf Müller (1911–af. 1985) Acting Chairman | 1962 | 1962 | SED |
| 3 | | Hans Schmidt (1915–1995) | June 1962 | May 1971 | SED |
| 4 | | Irma Uschkamp (1929–2014) | May 1971 | April 1989 | SED |
| 5 | | Peter Siegesmund (1940–2021) | June 1989 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 |  | Karl-Heinz Kretschmer (born 1948) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Halle
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Bernard Koenen (1889–1964) | August 1952 | 1953 (appointed Ambassador to Czechoslovakia) |
| 2 | | Heinz Glaser (1920–1980) | 1953 | September 1954 (transferred to Bezirk Gera) |
| 3 | | Franz Bruk (1923–1996) | September 1954 | April 1958 (demoted to secretary for agitation and propaganda) |
| (1) | | Bernard Koenen (1889–1964) | April 1958 | February 1963 (retired) |
| 4 |  | Horst Sindermann (1915–1990) | February 1963 | 22 May 1971 (promoted to First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers) |
| 5 |  | Werner Felfe (1928–1988) | 22 May 1971 | 4 May 1981 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 6 |  | Hans-Joachim Böhme (1929–2012) | 4 May 1981 | 9 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 7 |  | Roland Claus (born 1954) | 9 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Werner Bruschke (1898–1995) | 1952 | 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Werner Bruschke (1898–1995) | August 1952 | November 1954 | SED |
| 2 | | Helmut Becker (1917–1998) | December 1954 | June 1958 | SED |
| 3 | | Otto Leopold (1901–1975) | July 1958 | March 1966 | SED |
| 4 | | Helmut Klapproth (1928–2011) | May 1966 | February 1984 | SED |
| 5 | | Alfred Kolodniak (born 1931) | February 1984 | January 1990 | SED |
| 6 | | Wolfgang Süss (born 1934) | January 1990 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Klaus Keitel (1939–2026) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Leipzig
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Karl Schirdewan (1907–1998) | July 1952 | December 1952 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 2 |  | Paul Fröhlich (1913–1970) | January 1953 | 19 September 1970† |
| 3 |  | Horst Schumann (1924–1993) | 21 November 1970 | 5 November 1989 (retired) |
| 4 | | Roland Wötzel (born 1938) | 5 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Karl Adolphs (1904–1989) | August 1952 | March 1959 | SED |
| 2 |  | Erich Grützner (1910–2001) | April 1959 | February 1974 | SED |
| 3 | | Rolf Opitz (1929–2006) | February 1974 | December 1989 | SED |
| 4 | | Joachim Draber (born 1939) | December 1989 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Rudolf Krause (born 1939) | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Erfurt
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Erich Mückenberger (1910–1998) | 26 July 1952 | July 1953 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 2 |  | Hans Kiefert (1905–1966) | August 1953 | February 1957 (transferred to East Berlin) |
| 3 | | Hermann Fischer (1911–1967) | February 1957 | 27 June 1958 (demoted) |
| 4 |  | Alois Bräutigam (1916–2007) | 27 June 1958 | 11 April 1980 (deposed and demoted to People's Solidarity) |
| 5 |  | Gerhard Müller (1928–2020) | 11 April 1980 | 11 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 6 | | Herbert Kroker (1929–2022) | 11 November 1989 | December 1989 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Willy Gebhardt (1901–1973) | 26 July 1952 | 1 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Willy Gebhardt (1901–1973) | 1 August 1952 | 9 October 1962 | SED |
| 2 | | Richard Gothe (1928–1985) | 9 October 1962 | 17 January 1985 | SED |
| — | | Horst Lang (born 1938) Acting Chairman | 17 January 1985 | 5 March 1985 | SED |
| 3 | | Arthur Swatek (1932–1990) | 6 March 1985 | 4 February 1990 | SED |
| — | | Horst Lang (born 1938) Acting Chairman | 5 February 1990 | 8 June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 |  | Josef Duchac (born 1938) | 8 June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Dresden
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Hans Riesner (1902–1976) | August 1952 | February 1957 |
| 2 | | Fritz Reuter (1911–2000) | February 1957 | May 1960 |
| 3 |  | Werner Krolikowski (1928–2016) | May 1960 | 3 October 1973 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 4 |  | Hans Modrow (1928–2023) | 3 October 1973 | 14 November 1989 (promoted to Chairman of the Council of Ministers) |
| 5 | | Hans-Joachim Hahn (1934–2022) | 15 November 1989 | January 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Rudolf Jahn (1906–1990) | August 1952 | November 1958 | SED |
| 2 |  | Walter Weidauer (1899–1986) | December 1958 | January 1961 | SED |
| 3 | | Günter Witteck (born 1928) | February 1961 | March 1963 | SED |
| 4 | | Manfred Scheler (1929–2014) | March 1963 | July 1982 | SED |
| (3) | | Günter Witteck (born 1928) | July 1982 | December 1989 | SED |
| 5 | | Wolfgang Sieber (1934–2017) | December 1989 | February 1990 | SED |
| 6 | | Michael Kunze (born 1944) | February 1990 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Siegfried Ballschuh | June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Karl-Marx-Stadt
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Walter Buchheim (1904–1979) | July 1952 | October 1959 (transferred to Free German Trade Union Federation) |
| 2 | | Rolf Weihs (1920–2000) | January 1960 | February 1963 (deposed and demoted) |
| 3 |  | Paul Roscher (1913–1993) | February 1963 | March 1976 |
| 4 |  | Siegfried Lorenz (born 1930) | March 1976 | 11 November 1989 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 5 | | Norbert Kertscher (born 1954) | 11 November 1989 | 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Max Müller (1899–1977) | August 1952 | March 1960 | SED |
| 2 | | Werner Felfe (1928–1988) | March 1960 | September 1963 | SED |
| 3 |  | Heinz Arnold (1920–2000) | 1963 | January 1981 | SED |
| 4 | | Lothar Fichtner (born 1934) | February 1981 | June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Albrecht Buttolo (born 1947) | 11 June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Gera
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | ![](#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-59474-0001,_Dorndorf,_Kaliwerk_"Einheit,_Elektrowerkstatt,_Bergarbeiter_Crop.jpg) | Otto Funke (1915–1999) | 26 July 1952 | 1955 (transferred to Bezirk Suhl) |
| 2 | | Heinz Glaser (1920–1980) | 1955 | August 1959 (deposed) |
| 3 | | Paul Roscher (1913–1993) | September 1959 | 14 February 1963 (transferred to Bezirk Karl-Marx-Stadt) |
| 4 |  | Herbert Ziegenhahn (1921–1993) | 14 February 1963 | 2 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 5 | | Erich Postler (born 1940) | 2 November 1989 | December 1989 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Lydia Poser (1909–1984) | 26 July 1952 | 1 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Lydia Poser (1909–1984) | 1 August 1952 | 14 October 1959 | SED |
| 2 | | Albert Wettengel (1921–2004) | 14 October 1959 | 19 May 1965 | SED |
| 3 | | Horst Wenzel (1914–1974)[b] | 20 May 1965 | 28 March 1973 | SED |
| 4 | | Rudolf Bahmann (1929–1977) | 28 March 1973 | 19 September 1977 | SED |
| — | | Joachim Mittasch Acting Chairman | 20 September 1977 | 8 December 1977 | SED |
| 5 | | Karl-Heinz Fleischer (1932–2008) | 9 December 1977 | 30 May 1983 | SED |
| 6 | | Werner Ullrich (1928–1999) | 30 May 1983 | 9 January 1990 | SED |
| 7 | | Helmut Luck (born 1930)[c] | 10 January 1990 | 8 June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 | | Peter Lindlau | 8 June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
Suhl
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Adolf Färber (1912–1987) | 26 July 1952 | August 1954 |
| 2 | | Kurt Schneidewind (1912–1983) | November 1954 | September 1956 |
| 3 | | Otto Funke (1915–1997) | September 1956 | 15 August 1968 (deposed and demoted to Committee of Antifascist Resistance Fighters) |
| 4 | | Hans Albrecht (1919–2008) | 15 August 1968 | 2 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 5 | | Peter Pechauf (1941–2025) | 2 November 1989 | February 1990 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Bezirk Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Fritz Sattler (1896–1964) | 26 July 1952 | 1 August 1952 | SED |
| Chairmen of the Bezirk Council | |||||
| 1 | | Fritz Sattler (1896–1964) | 1 August 1952 | 29 November 1958 | SED |
| 2 | | Wilhelm Behnke (1914–1975) | 29 November 1958 | 26 July 1967 | SED |
| 3 | | Arnold Zimmermann (1922–2015) | 26 July 1967 | 16 May 1990 | SED |
| — | | Helmuth Vierling (born 1945) Acting Chairman | 16 May 1990 | 8 June 1990 | SED |
| Government Commissioner (Regierungsbevollmächtigter) | |||||
| 1 |  | Werner Ulbrich (born 1939) | 8 June 1990 | 2 October 1990 | CDU |
SDAG Wismut
- General Director
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Director of SDAG Wismut | ||||
| 1 |  | Michail Mitrofanowitsch Malzew (1904–1982) | 10 May 1947 | 12 June 1951 |
| 2 | | Walentin Nikanorowitsch Bogatow (1909–1980) | 12 June 1951 | 1957 |
| 3 |  | Wassili Alexejewitsch Sobko (1911–2004) | 1957 | August 1961 |
| 4 | | Semjon Nikolajewitsch Woloschtschuk (1911–2004) | August 1961 | April 1986 |
| 5 | | Horst Bellmann (1949–) | April 1986 | November 1989 |
| 6 | | Horst Richter (1938–) | November 1989 | 1 January 1991 |
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 | | Kurt Böhme (1913–1991) | October 1947 | March 1951 (deposed) |
| — |  | Horst Dohlus (1925–2007) Acting | March 1951 | October 1951 |
| 2 | | Günter Röder | October 1951 | December 1954 |
| 3 |  | Alois Bräutigam (1916–2007) | December 1954 | June 1958 (transferred to Bezirk Erfurt) |
| 4 | | Rolf Weihs (1920–2000) | June 1958 | 24 March 1960 (transferred to Bezirk Karl-Marx-Stadt) |
| 5 | | Kurt Kieß (1914–1970) | 24 March 1960 | 30 December 1970† |
| 6 | | Alfred Rohde (1921–1990) | 5 February 1971 | 12 November 1989 (deposed) |
| 7 | | Heinz Freitag (1936–2002) | 12 November 1989 | 7 December 1989 (party organization dissolved) |
East Berlin
.jpg)
- Party leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) | ||||
| 1 |  | Hermann Matern (1893–1971) | 21 April 1946 | 18 October 1948 (transferred to Central Party Control Commission) |
| 2 | | Hans Jendretzky (1897–1992) | 18 October 1948 | August 1953 (deposed and demoted) |
| 3 |  | Alfred Neumann (1909–2001) | August 1953 | February 1957 (promoted to Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 4 | | Hans Kiefert (1905–1966) | February 1957 | February 1959 (deposed and demoted) |
| 5 |  | Paul Verner (1911–1986) | February 1959 | 26 November 1971 (promoted within Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 6 |  | Konrad Naumann (1928–1992) | 26 November 1971 | 22 November 1985 (deposed) |
| 7 |  | Günter Schabowski (1929–2015) | 22 November 1985 | 10 November 1989 (promoted within Central Committee Secretariat) |
| 8 | | Heinz Albrecht (born 1935) | 10 November 1989 | 11 February 1990 |
The Party Leadership was considered responsible for all of Berlin until the Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin was split from the SED in 1962. However, even after the formal split, the SEW continued to function de facto as a branch of the SED.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Secretaries of the Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin (SEW) | ||||
| 1 | | Gerhard Danelius (1913–1978) | 24 November 1962 | 18 May 1978 |
| 2 | | Horst Schmitt (1925–1989) | 18 May 1978 | 22 April 1989 |
- Government leaders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lord Mayors | |||||
| 1 | | Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979)[d] | 30 November 1948 | 5 July 1967 | SED |
| 2 |  | Herbert Fechner (1913–1998) | 5 July 1967 | 11 February 1974 | SED |
| 3 | .jpg) |
Erhard Krack (1931–2000) |
11 February 1974 | 15 February 1990 | SED (until 1989) |
| PDS (from 1989) | |||||
| — | | Hannelore Mensch (born 1937) Acting Lord Mayor [Acting for Krack] | January 1979 | 1980 | SED |
| — | | Ingrid Pankraz (born 1948) Acting Lord Mayor | 15 February 1990 | 23 February 1990 | PDS |
| 4 | | Christian Hartenhauer (born 1948) | 23 February 1990 | 30 May 1990 | SPD |
| 5 | .jpg) | Tino Schwierzina (1927–2003) | 30 May 1990 | 3 October 1990 (11 January 1991) | SPD |
Under Article 16 of the German unification treaty (Einigungsvertrag), until the formation of a Berlin-wide government after the first city-wide elections, the Senate of West Berlin and the Magistrat of East Berlin served as a joint government for all of Berlin, headed jointly by the Governing Mayor of West Berlin and the Lord Mayor of East Berlin.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party | No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governing Mayor | Lord Mayor | ||||||||||
| 11 | .jpg) | Walter Momper (born 1945) | (16 March 1989) 3 October 1990 | 24 January 1991 | SPD | 5 | | Tino Schwierzina (1927–2003) | (30 May 1990) 3 October 1990 | 11 January 1991 | SPD |
| — |  | Thomas Krüger (born 1959) Acting Lord Mayor | 11 January 1991 | 24 January 1991 | SPD | ||||||
