Friedrich "Fritz" Ebert (September 12, 1894 – December 4, 1979) was the son of Germany's first President Friedrich Ebert. He was a Social Democrat like his father before him, but is best known for his role in the origins of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, whom in he served in various positions. Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... December 4 is the 338th day of the year (339th on leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Friedrich Ebert (February 4, 1871–February 28, 1925) was a German politician (SPD), who served as the 9th Chancellor of Germany and its first president during the Weimar period. ... SPD redirects here. ... The logo of the SED The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) (German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) was the governing party of East Germany from its formation in 1949 until the elections of 1990. ... Anthem: Auferstanden aus Ruinen Capital East Berlin, in spite of status as part of an occupied city Language(s) German Government Socialist state Head of State  - 1990 Sabine Bergmann-Pohl Head of Government  - 1990 Lothar de Maizière Historical era Cold War  - Established October 7 1949  - Final Settlement September 25...

Early life

Born in Bremen, Fritz Ebert underwent an apprenticeship as a printer from 1909 to 1913. In 1910 he joined the Socialist Workers' Youth and in 1913 the SPD. From 1915 to 1918 he fought in the First World War. During the Weimar Republic, he worked for various socialdemocratic newspapers. SPD redirects here. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Anthem: Das Lied der Deutschen The Länder of Germany during the Weimar Republic, with the Free State of Prussia (Freistaat Preußen) as the largest Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1919-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann  - 1933 Adolf Hitler...

In 1933, he was arrested for illegal political activity and detained for eight months in various concentration camps, e.g. Oranienburg and Börgermoor. In 1939 he was conscripted into the army. In 1940 he worked at the Reichsverlagsamt (publishers' office). Until 1945 he was under constant police surveillance. It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ...

Career in Eastern Germany

After the demise of the Third Reich, he was elected chairman of the SPD in the Prussian province of Brandenburg. Being the son of a former President made Ebert one of the foremost political leaders in Eastern Germany. His role in this phase can be compared with that of Jan Masaryk in post-war Czechoslovakia. Ebert was courted by the leaders of the Communist Party (KPD), who aimed at a unification of the much larger SPD with the smaller KPD and used his father's supposed role in the breaking-up of the unity of the German working class in 1918 to get the young Ebert's support for the unification. Jan Masaryk (September 14, 1886 – March 10, 1948) was a Czechoslovak diplomat and politician. ... 1932 KPD poster, End This System The Communist Party of Germany (German Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands – KPD) was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period. ...

In 1946 the unification of the two parties' branches in the Soviet Occupation Zone was effected under Soviet pressure. After the creation of the new party, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), Ebert was elected to the Central Committee and since 1949 also was a member of the Politburo. The logo of the SED The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) (German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) was the governing party of East Germany from its formation in 1949 until the elections of 1990. ... Central Committee most commonly refers to the central executive unit of a communist party, whether ruling or non-ruling. ... Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ...

After the end of Allied cooperation and breaking up of the administration of Berlin, Ebert became mayor of the eastern part of Berlin, which he remained until 1967.

He was a member of the Deutscher Volksrat, a preliminary parliament that drew up the first constitution of the GDR, and after 1949 of the People's Chamber, the parliament of the GDR. Between 1949 and 1971 he served as the chamber's deputy president. In 1971 he was elected chairman of the SED faction in the People's Chamber. The Volkskammer (Peoples Chamber) was the de jure Legislature of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). ...

Since 1960 he also was a member of the Council of State and since 1971 its deputy chairman. As such he was acting head of state in 1973 between Walter Ulbricht's death and the election of Willi Stoph. Walter Ulbricht (June 30, 1893 – August 1, 1973) was a German communist politician. ... Willi Stoph (9 July 1914 - 13 April 1999) was Prime Minister of East Germany from 1973 to 1989. ...

Ebert was decorated with the Karl-Marx-Orden, the Vaterländischer Verdienstorden and the Großer Stern der Völkerfreundschaft. After his resignation as mayor, the magistrate of East Berlin awarded him with an honorary citizenship, which was however revoked in 1992.