Lothar Ahrendt

Lothar Ahrendt (born 13 March 1936) is one of the former interior ministers of the German Democratic Republic.

Lothar Ahrendt
Minister of Interior
In office
7 November 1989 – 12 April 1990
Prime MinisterHans Modrow
Preceded byFriedrich Dickel
Succeeded byPeter-Michael Diestel
Personal details
Born (1936-03-13) 13 March 1936
Erfurt, Province of Saxony, Germany
NationalityGerman
Political partySocialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)

Biography

Ahrendt was born on 13 March 1936 in Erfurt.[1] He was trained as a car mechanic.[1]

Ahrendt was a member of Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) which he joined in 1957.[1] He served as deputy interior minister until 18 November 1989 when he was appointed minister of interior, replacing Friedrich Dickel in the post.[2] Ahrendt was part of interim and "reform-minded" cabinet formed by Prime Minister Hans Modrow.[2][3]

Unlike previous East German interior ministers, Ahrendt was not the chief of the German People's Police (the Deutsche Volkspolizei).[4] as for the first time since the DDR's establishment these two offices were divided.[2] In mid-January 1990, the Ministry of Interior declared that by 25 January all weapons from former secret police agents, including 124,000 pistols, 76,000 submachine guns, about 3,500 grenade-launchers and 342 anti-aircraft guns would be retrieved.[5] Ahrendt's term ended on 12 April 1990.[1]

References
  1. "Ahrendt, Lothar" (in German). Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung.
  2. Nancy Travis Wolfe (1992). Policing a Socialist Society: The German Democratic Republic. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-3132-6530-3.
  3. "East Germany Approves "Reform-minded" Cabinet". Times Daily. West Berlin. AP. 19 November 1989. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  4. "Deutsche Volkspolizei". Axis History. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  5. "E. German Reveals Secret-Police Levels -- 1 In 80 Worked for or Aided Stasi". The Seattle Times. East Berlin. AP. 16 January 1990. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
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