Willi Stoph (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.
Born in Berlin in 1914, Stoph's father died the following year in WWI. In 1928, the young Stoph joined the Communist Youth League of Germany (Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD) and, in 1931, he j...
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Willi Stoph (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.
Born in Berlin in 1914, Stoph's father died the following year in WWI. In 1928, the young 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 WWII 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, 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 1952 to 1955, and defense minister from 1956 to 1960. As such, he was awarded the rank of an Armeegeneral.
From 1964 to 1973, he was...
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