Willi Stoph

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Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic
Willi Stoph
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic
In office 1964 – 1973
Preceded by	Otto Grotewohl
Succeeded by	Horst Sindermann
In office 1976 – 1989
Preceded by	Horst Sindermann
Succeeded by	Hans Modrow
In office 1973 – 1976
Preceded by	Walter Ulbricht
Succeeded by	Erich Honecker

Born	July 9, 1914 Berlin, Germany
Died	April 13, 1999 Berlin, Germany
Political party	Socialist Unity Party of Germany

Willi Stoph (9 July 1914 – 13 April 1999) was an East German politician. He served as Prime Minister (Chairman of the Council of Ministers) of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1964 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1989.

[edit] Biography

Born in Berlin in 1914, Stoph's father died the following year as a result of WWI. In 1928, the young Stoph joined the Communist Youth League of Germany (Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD) and, in 1931, he joined the Communist Party of Germany. He also served in the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 1937, and again during WWII from 1940 to 1945. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and rose to the rank of Unteroffizier.

Following the establishment of the GDR, Stoph became a member of the central committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and member of the Volkskammer in 1950. He served as interior minister from 1952 to 1955, and defense minister from 1956 to 1960.

From 1964 to 1973, he was Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat). After the death of Walter Ulbricht in 1973, Stoph became Chairmen of the Council of State, and thus, head of state of the GDR. After Volkskammer elections in 1976, the state and party leadership structure was re-arranged, and Stoph once again became Chairmen of the Council of Ministers.

As Prime Minister, Stoph began a series of negotiations with West German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1970. It marked the first ever meeting between the leaders of East and West Germany.

Following the ouster of Erich Honecker in October 1989, Stoph and all 44 members of his cabinet resigned on November 7 in response to public pressure. On November 8, the Central Committee of the SED nominated Hans Modrow as Stoph's replacement. Stoph was subsequently arrested for corruption in December 1989. He was later spared detention due to health reasons. In 1994, a court in Berlin decided that he should not get back his seized savings of 200,000 DM.

Stoph died in Berlin on 13 April 1999.

Preceded by Otto Grotewohl	Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic 1964–1973	Succeeded by Horst Sindermann
Preceded by Walter Ulbricht	Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic 1973–1976	Succeeded by Erich Honecker
Preceded by Horst Sindermann	Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic 1976–1989	Succeeded by Hans Modrow