Fritz Streletz

Fritz Streletz
Streletz in July 1982
Deputy Minister of National Defence
(East Germany)
In office
1 January 1979 – 31 December 1989[1]
Chief of Staff of the Ministry of National Defense
In office
1 January 1979 – 31 December 1989[1]
Preceded byHeinz Kessler
Succeeded byManfred Grätz [de]
Personal details
Born (1926-09-28) 28 September 1926 (age 98)
Friedrichsgrätz, Weimar Germany
(now Grodziec, Poland)
Military service
Allegiance Nazi Germany (1944–1945)
 East Germany (1948–1990)
Branch/service Wehrmacht
 National People's Army
Years of service1944–45
1948–90
RankGeneraloberst
Criminal conviction
Criminal statusReleased early
Conviction(s)Manslaughter
Criminal penalty5 1/2 years

Fritz Streletz (born 28 September 1926) is a German former army general of the GDR.[2]

In 1944 he entered the Wehrmacht as a noncommissioned officer after graduating from military school in Deggendorf. He was captured by Soviet forces in February 1945 and released in October 1948, whereupon he joined the Volkspolizei. In 1956 he joined the precursor to the National People's Army, the Kasernierte Volkspolizei, as an officer.[3]

In 1991, after the re-unification of Germany, Streletz was arrested. He was charged in February 1992 for the incitement to kill German civilians fleeing East Germany and was found guilty. He was sentenced to five years and six months in prison but was released in October 1997.

Streletz remained committed to the GDR's ideals after re-unification.[1][4]

  1. ^ a b c "90. Geburt Generaloberst a.D. Fritz Streletz". Verband zur Pflege der Traditionen der Nationalen Volksarmee und der Grenztruppen der DDR e.V. (in German). Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Streletz, Fritz". Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung (in German). Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  3. ^ Hans Ehlert, Armin Wagner: Genosse General! Die Militärelite der DDR in biografischen Skizzen. Ch Links Verlag, Berlin, 2003
  4. ^ "Geleitwort aus der Sicht eines sozialistischen Militärs zum "DDR-Kabinett Bochum e.V."". DDR Kabinett Bochum e.V. (in German). November 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2020.