Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph (German pronunciation: [ˈvɪli ˈʃtoːf]; 9 July 1914 – 13 April 1999) was an East German politician. He served as Prime Minister (Chairman of the Council of Ministers) of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1964 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1989.
Biography
Stoph was born in Berlin in 1914; his father died the following year in World War I. In 1928, Stoph joined the Communist Youth League of Germany (Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD) and in 1931 he joined the Communist Party of Germany. He also served in the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 1937, and again during World War II from 1940 to 1945. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and rose to the rank of Unteroffizier.
Following the establishment of the GDR in 1949, Stoph became a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and member of the Volkskammer in 1950. He served as Interior Minister from 9 May 1952 to 1 July 1955, and Defense Minister from 18 January 1956 to 14 July 1960. Stoph was the first defense minister of East Germany. As such, he was awarded the rank of Armeegeneral.
Stoph, Willi Filmography
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2003, role: actor , character name: Himself
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2003, role: actor , character name: Himself
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1992, role: actor
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