Lothar Ahrendt

Lothar Ahrendt
Minister of Interior
In office 1989–1990
Prime Minister	Hans Modrow
Preceded by	Friedrich Dickel
Succeeded by	Peter Michael Diestel
Personal details
Born	13 March 1936 Erfurt, Province of Saxony, Germany
Nationality	German
Political party	Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)

Lothar Ahrendt (born 13 March 1936 in Erfurt) is one of the former interior ministers of the German Democratic Republic.^[1]

Career

Ahrendt was a member of Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).^[2] He served as deputy interior minister until 18 November 1989 when he was appointed minister of interior, replacing Friedrich Dickel in the post.^[1][3] Ahrendt was part of interim and "reform-minded" cabinet formed by Prime Minister Hans Modrow.^[3][4]

Unlike previous East German interior ministers, Ahrendt was not the chief of the German People’s Police (the Deutsche Volkspolizei).^[5] as for the first time since the DDR's establishment these two offices were divided.^[3] 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.^[6] Ahrendt's term ended on 12 April 1990.^[1]

References

1. "Interior ministers". Rulers. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
2. "Leaders of East Germany". Terra. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
3. Nancy Travis Wolfe (1992). Policing a Socialist Society: The German Democratic Republic. New York: Greenwood Press. Retrieved 14 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
4. "East Germany Approves "Reform-minded" Cabinet". Times Daily. West Berlin. AP. 19 November 1989. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
5. "Deutsche Volkspolizei". Axis History. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
6. "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.