Friedrich Dickel

Friedrich Dickel
Minister of Interior
In office
14 November 1963 – 18 November 1989
Preceded by Karl Maron
Succeeded by Lothar Ahrendt
Personal details
Born 9 December 1913
Vohwinkel, today Wuppertal
Died 23 October 1993 (aged 79)
Nationality German
Political party Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Military service
Rank Colonel General

Friedrich Dickel (9 December 1913 – 23 October 1993) was a German politician, who served as the interior minister of East Germany for nearly twenty-six years.[1]

Early life

Dickel was born on 9 December 1913 in Wuppertal-Vohwinkel.[2]

Career

Dickel joined the Communist Party of Germany in 1931.[3] He was a military officer with the rank of colonel general.[4][5] He fought in the international brigades in the civil war of Spain together with others including future Stasi chief Erich Mielke.[3][4] After the Nazi rule in Germany, he went to and settled in the Soviet Union. He returned to the East Germany in 1946.[2] Then Dickel became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and of its central committee.[6] He served as a police chief in East Berlin.[7]

He was appointed interior minister on 14 November 1963, replacing Karl Maron in the post.[1] He also led the Volkspolizei during his tenure.[6][8] Dickel's term ended on 18 November 1989 when he was dismissed as a result of the atmosphere of change and reform in the country.[1][7] He was succeeded by Lothar Ahrendt as interior minister.[1][8] In December 1989 Dickel retired from politics.[2]

Death

After a long illness Dickel died in Berlin on 23 October 1993.[9] He was 79.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "East German ministries". Rulers. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Friedrich Dickel". Chronic der Wende. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nessim Ghouas (2004). The Conditions, Means and Methods of the MfS in the GDR: An Analysis of the Post and Telephone Control. Cuvillier Verlag. p. 139. ISBN 978-3-89873-988-7. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Arnold Krammer (April 2005). "Sammelrez: Internationale Brigaden in der DDR". H-Soz-u-Kult. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Bonn Officials are Barred from Traveling to Berlin". St. Petersburg Times. 10 February 1969. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gareth M. Winrow (5 November 2009). The Foreign Policy of the GDR in Africa. Cambridge University Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-521-12259-7. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Divided in Unity: Identity, Germany, and the Berlin Police. University of Chicago Press. 2000. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-226-29784-2. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Nancy Travis Wolfe (1992). Policing a Socialist Society: The German Democratic Republic. New York: Greenwood Press. Retrieved 14 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
  9. ↑ "Friedrich Dickel (1913–1993), Innenminister der DDR". LVR. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Friedrich Dickel". Der Spiegel 44. 1993. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
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