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Walter Ulbricht was a German Communist leader and head of the post-World War II German Democratic Republic, or East Germany. Ulbricht, a cabinetmaker by trade, joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1912 and during World War I served on the Eastern Front, deserting twice. After the war he.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Walter Ernst Paul Ulbricht (German: [ˈvaltɐ ˈʔʊlbʁɪçt]; 30 June 1893 – 1 August 1973) was a German communist politician. Ulbricht played a leading role in the creation of the Weimar-era Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and later in the early development and establishment of the German Democratic Republic.
On the occasion of Walter Ulbricht’s death, a West German journalist examines his political development, his decisive role in the postwar history of the GDR, his relationship to the Soviet Union, and his downfall.
NARRATOR: The GDRs new system is enforced according to plan, but the anticipated economic miracle of the east exists mainly in pretty, colored images. Even if it is not stated openly, Ulbricht knows that all essential questions depend on instructions from Moscow.
- 4 min
Background: These are pictures from a 1968 coffee table type book on Walter Ulbricht, the GDR’s leader from 1953-1971. He was never popular and after he was deposed by Erich Honecker in 1971 sank quickly into obscurity.
Was Walter Ulbricht genuinely motivated in his politics by the fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism, or was he a power-driven individual who was driven more by personal opportunism?
