Friedrich Dickel | |
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Dickel in 1983 | |
Minister of the Interior Head of theVolkspolizei | |
In office 15 November 1963 – 17 November 1989 | |
Chairman of the Council of Ministers |
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Deputy |
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Preceded by | Karl Maron |
Succeeded by | Lothar Ahrendt |
Member of theVolkskammer for Auerbach, Klingenthal, Oelsnitz, Plauen-Stadt, Plauen-Land | |
In office 2 July 1967 – 16 November 1989 | |
Preceded by | multi-member district |
Succeeded by | Hans-Ludwig Erlenbeck |
Personal details | |
Born | (1913-12-09)9 December 1913 Vohwinkel,Rhine Province,Kingdom of Prussia,German Empire |
Died | 23 October 1993(1993-10-23) (aged 79) Berlin,Germany |
Political party | Socialist Unity Party(1946–1989) |
Other political affiliations | Communist Party of Germany(1931–1946) |
Occupation |
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Central institution membership
Other offices held
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Friedrich Dickel (9 December 1913 – 23 October 1993) was a German politician, veteran of theInternational Brigades in theSpanish Civil War and law enforcement administrator who served as the interior minister for nearly twenty-six years, the longest-serving individual to hold that post inEast Germany.
Dickel was born on 9 December 1913 inWuppertal-Vohwinkel in thePrussianRhine Province of theGerman Empire.[1]
Dickel joined theCommunist Party of Germany in 1931.[2] He fought in the international brigades in thecivil war of Spain together with others, including futureStasi chiefErich Mielke.[2][3] Dickel commanded aplatoon unit in the civil war in Spain.[4]
After theNazi rule in Germany, he settled inthe Soviet Union where he taught at the SovietGeneral Staff Academy.[4] He returned to East Germany in 1946[1] and served as the commander of the Officers’ School for Political Work in East Berlin from 1950.[4] He was promoted to the rank ofmajor general in 1956.[4] Next year he was named as the deputy national defense minister.[4]
Dickel became a member of theSocialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and of its central committee.[5] His tenure in the SED central committee was between 1967 and 1989.[4] He also served as a police chief in East Berlin.[6]
Dickel was appointed interior minister on 14 November 1963, replacingKarl Maron in the post.[7] He also led theVolkspolizei during his tenure.[5][8] During Dickel's time, majority of the East German paramilitary troops organized for territorial defense were also under the interior ministry's control.[9] One of the policies he introduced include the regulation and control of immigration and returnees.[10] Dickel's term ended on 18 November 1989 when he was dismissed as a result of the atmosphere of change and reform in the country which began leading up toGerman reunification.[6] He was succeeded byLothar Ahrendt as interior minister.[8] He was a military officer with the rank ofcolonel general,[3][11] before being promoted toarmy general in 1984.[citation needed] In December 1989 Dickel retired from politics.[1]
Dickel was also a member of theVolkskammer for Auerbach, Klingenthal, Oelsnitz, Plauen-Stadt, Plauen-Land between 2 July 1967 and 5 April 1990.[12]
After a long illness Dickel died inBerlin on 23 October 1993.[13] He was 79.[13]
Dickel was the recipient of theOrder of Karl Marx which was awarded to him in June 1985 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the German People's Police.[14]