Wilhelm Zaisser

Wilhelm Zaisser
Wilhelm Zaisser in 1950.
Minister of State Security
of the German Democratic Republic
In office
8 February 1950 – 18 July 1953
PresidentWilhelm Pieck
Prime MinisterOtto Grotewohl
DeputyErich Mielke
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byErnst Wollweber
Personal details
Born
Wilhelm Zaisser

(1893-06-20)20 June 1893
Gelsenkirchen, Westphalia, Prussia, German Empire
Died3 March 1958(1958-03-03) (aged 64)
East Berlin, East Germany
Political partyIndependent Social Democratic Party of Germany (1919-1921)
Communist Party of Germany (1921–1932)
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1932–1947)
Socialist Unity Party of Germany (1947–1954)
SpouseElisabeth Knipp / Zaisser
ChildrenRenate Böttcher-Zaisser,
born 22 April 1924
OccupationPolitician, Soldier, Spy, Government Minister
Military service
AllegianceGerman Empire
Soviet Union
Republic of China (1927–1930)
Czechoslovakia (1930–1932)
Second Spanish Republic (1936–1938)
East Germany
Branch/serviceImperial German Army

Main Intelligence Directorate National Revolutionary Army

Spanish Republican Army
Years of serviceFirst World War

Ruhr Uprising

Spanish Civil War

Wilhelm Zaisser (20 June 1893 – 3 March 1958) was a German communist politician and statesman who served as the founder and first Minister for State Security of the German Democratic Republic (1950–1953).[1]

  1. ^ Jens Gieseke (Www); Bernd-Rainer Barth (Www); Hermann Weber (HDK); Andreas Herbst (HDK). "Zaisser, Wilhelm * 20.6.1893, † 3.3.1958 Mitglied des Politbüros des ZK der SED, Minister für Staatssicherheit". "Wer war wer in der DDR? (Www)" and "Handbuch der Deutschen Kommunisten (HDK)" Note that this web page includes biographical texts from TWO sources. "Www" appears first. The longer "HDK" entry appears as the second half of the page. Ch. Links Verlag, Berlin (Www), Karl Dietz Verlag, Berlin (HDK) & Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur, Berlin (Www & HDK). Retrieved 24 February 2018.