Ahrendt was born on 13 March 1936 in Erfurt.[1] He was trained as a car mechanic.[1]
Ahrendt was a member of Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) which he joined in 1957.[1] He served as deputy interior minister until 18 November 1989, when he was appointed minister of interior, replacing Friedrich Dickel in the post.[2] Ahrendt was part of interim and "reform-minded" cabinet formed by Prime Minister Hans Modrow.[2][3]
Unlike previous East German interior ministers, Ahrendt was not the chief of the German People's Police (Deutsche Volkspolizei).[4] as for the first time since the DDR's establishment these two offices were divided.[2] However, in February 1990, he was appointed to the post as an acting chief.[5] In mid-January 1990, the Ministry of Interior declared that by 25 January all weapons from former secret police agents, including 124,000 pistols, 76,000 submachine guns, about 3,500 grenade-launchers and 342 anti-aircraft guns, would be retrieved.[6]
Ahrendt's term ended on 12 April 1990.[1] Peter-Michael Diestel succeeded him as interior minister.[7] Ahrendt was also dismissed from the post as the acting chief of the German People's Police in August 1990.[5]
