Karl Schirdewan

Karl Schirdewan (14 May 1907 – 14 July 1998) was a German Communist activist who after World War II became a top East German politician.

Karl Schirdewan
Schirdewan in 1952
First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party
in Bezirk Leipzig
In office
3 October 1952 – December 1952
Second Secretary
  • Luise Bäuml
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPaul Fröhlich (1953)
First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party
in Saxony
In office
February 1952 – October 1952
Second Secretary
  • Gerda Meschter
Preceded byErnst Lohagen
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the Volkskammer
In office
23 July 1952 – 24 February 1958
Preceded byErnst Lohagen
Succeeded byHarry Bachmann
Central Committee Secretariat responsibilities
1956-1958Cadre Affairs
1953-1958Youth
1953-1958Woman
1952-1956Party Organs
Personal details
Born(1907-05-14)14 May 1907
Stettin, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Szczecin, Poland)
Died14 July 1998(1998-07-14) (aged 91)
Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
Political partyParty of Democratic Socialism
(1989–1998)
Other political
affiliations		Socialist Unity Party
(1952–1989)
Communist Party of Germany
(1925–1946)
SpouseGisela Schirdewan
Children4
Occupation
  • Politician
  • Civil Servant
  • Party Clerk
AwardsPatriotic Order of Merit, 1st class
Central institution membership
  • 1953–1958: Full member,
    Politburo of the Central Committee
  • 1953–1958: Full member,
    Central Committee
Other offices held
  • 1958–1965: Director,
    State Archives Administration
  • 1954–1957: Member,
    Security Commission at the Politburo
  • 1950–1952: Head, West Department of the Central Committee

During the mid 1950s, Schirdewan was seen as a potential successor to Walter Ulbricht but fell out of favour in 1958. Ulbricht continued to lead the government until 1971, while 1958 was the year in which Schirdewan was thrown out of the Politburo and placed in charge of the National Archives at Potsdam, a position from which he retired in 1964 or 1965.

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