Fred Oelßner
Fred Oelßner (27 February 1903 – 7 November 1977) was a German communist politician, economist and a leading political figure in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
Fred Oelßner | |
|---|---|
Fred Oelßner delivering a speech Roger & Renate Rössing, 1954 | |
| Born | 27 February 1903 Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire |
| Died | November 7, 1977 (aged 74) |
| Alma mater | Institute of Red Professors International Lenin School |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, economist, professor |
| Known for | Politburo membership and expulsion |
| Political party | USPD KPD SED |
| Spouse(s) | 1. Tatjana Nikolajewna Tschewskaja 2. Dora Langbecker 3. Nina _____ |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Alfred Oelßner Anna _____ |
| Awards | Order of Karl Marx (1973) Patriotic Order of Merit, Honor Clasp in Gold (1965) Patriotic Order of Merit, Gold 1st Class (1955) National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (1949) |
Oelßner became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany's politburo in 1950. He fell out of favour over the so-called Schirdewan affair in 1958, however, and was excluded from the politburo. Tensions had arisen at the top of government over the extent which the country should be willing to respond positively to pressure from Moscow for a measure of De-Stalinization. Oelßner was able to argue from an economic and political perspective in favour of a cautious easing of restrictions. After a period of a year or so during which it might have been thought that the East German leader, Walter Ulbricht, was open to suggestions, the political downfall of Karl Schirdewan, Fred Oelßner and one or two others was seen as a sign that traditionalist economic hardliners would remain in control. In September 1959 Oelßner published his self-criticism on account of his "opportunism and political blindness" ("Opportunismus und politische Blindheit") during the years 1956/57.