Politician. He received notoriety as a 20th century East German politician. Born in Leipzig, for about 3 months, while he was a young boy, he and Adolf Hitler, the head of the Nazi Party during World War II, lived in the same house. In 1912 he joined the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) and served in the Imperial German Army in World War I. He was a member of the Saxon Parliament in 1926, and from 1928 to 1933, he was a member of the Reichstag. Between 1933 and 1945, he lived in exile in Paris, Prague and Moscow where he met a few of the later members of the government of the German Democratic Republic or the political party of East Germany. In 1953 he married his secretary Lotte Kühn. In 1960 he became the Head of State of Soviet occupied East Germany. During a press conference in June of 1961, he said his most quoted sentence: "Niemand hat die Absicht eine Mauer zu errichten." (No one has the intention to build a wall). Only two months later, the Berlin Wall was built between Soviet occupied East Germany and West Germany. In 1971 he was ousted from power after he lost the support from the Communist Party in Moscow. He was forced to surrender the leadership of the Communist Party to Erich Honecker but stayed head of state. The official reason for his resignation was health problems. He died two years later after having a stroke and without appearing in public again. He had a State Funeral and was buried with members of the Communist Party. For serving in the Spanish Civil War, he was awarded the Han Beimler Medal, which caused controversy among other recipients, who had actually served on the front line. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on June 29, 1963. In 1965, he was awarded the Great Collar of the Order of the Nile while on a visit to Egypt.

Politician. He received notoriety as a 20th century East German politician. Born in Leipzig, for about 3 months, while he was a young boy, he and Adolf Hitler, the head of the Nazi Party during World War II, lived in the same house. In 1912 he joined the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) and served in the Imperial German Army in World War I. He was a member of the Saxon Parliament in 1926, and from 1928 to 1933, he was a member of the Reichstag. Between 1933 and 1945, he lived in exile in Paris, Prague and Moscow where he met a few of the later members of the government of the German Democratic Republic or the political party of East Germany. In 1953 he married his secretary Lotte Kühn. In 1960 he became the Head of State of Soviet occupied East Germany. During a press conference in June of 1961, he said his most quoted sentence: "Niemand hat die Absicht eine Mauer zu errichten." (No one has the intention to build a wall). Only two months later, the Berlin Wall was built between Soviet occupied East Germany and West Germany. In 1971 he was ousted from power after he lost the support from the Communist Party in Moscow. He was forced to surrender the leadership of the Communist Party to Erich Honecker but stayed head of state. The official reason for his resignation was health problems. He died two years later after having a stroke and without appearing in public again. He had a State Funeral and was buried with members of the Communist Party. For serving in the Spanish Civil War, he was awarded the Han Beimler Medal, which caused controversy among other recipients, who had actually served on the front line. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on June 29, 1963. In 1965, he was awarded the Great Collar of the Order of the Nile while on a visit to Egypt.

Bio by: Linda Davis