Kurt Hager

Kurt Hager (* 24 July 1912 Bietigheim; † 18 September 1998 Berlin), was an East German statesman, member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, was known as the Chief Ideolouge of his Party and persided over many cultural and educational policies in East Germany decisively.

Life

The son of a laborer, Hager passed the high school exam (Abitur) in 1931, after a visit of Primary and High School. He was a member of the YMCA and Socialist Federal Student, worked as a journalist and entered the KPD in 1930, and the Red Front fighters covenant in 1932. In 1933 he took part in a sabotage against Hitlers first speech on the radio ( "Cable assassination"), was arrested and came into the KZ Heuberg. After a brief detention, he emigrated 1936.

Until 1937, he worked as a courier for the Communist youth organization of Germany in Switzerland, France and the CSR. 1937-1939 he participated in the Spanish Civil War as a journalist, where he worked for the "German freedom broadcasting station" and the foreign radio program from Madrid.

In 1939 he was detained in France and then emigrated to England. There he was responsible for the international organization of the KPD active, writing under the pseudonym "Felix Albin". After the outbreak of war, he was interned, first in Huyton near Liverpool, and later on the Isle of Man.

East Germany

In 1945 Hager returned to Berlin. Until 1946 he first worked as forestry worker and welder, and later as a journalist for the magazine "Free grandstand".

Upon his return, he was deputy chief editor of the "Forward" and graduated 1948, a lecturer in the course of the party High School Kleinmachnow and in 1949 he became a full professor for philosophy at the Humboldt University in Berlin.

1946 he joined the SED, became head of the party Training Division, 1949 Head of the Propaganda Department. 1950 candidate, 1952 Head of the Science Division of the Code of SED, 1954 member and 1955 secretary of the Central Committee of the SED, in this capacity is responsible for science, popular education and culture. 1959 he was a candidate and 1963 Member of the Politburo of the CC of SED and the Ideologischen committee of the Politburo. He was 1958 member of the Public Chamber and 1967 chairman of the Public Education Committee. He was also 1976-1989 Member of the Council of State and 1979-1989 member of the National Defense Council. In SED-Politbüro was Hager as "Chefideologe" and the supreme cultural responsible.

In speeches and writings Hager denied the existence of a single German cultural nation and a common German history. 1987, in an interview with the German magazine Stern about the reforms of Gorbachev in the former Soviet Union Hager gave the answer:"Would you, if your neighbor repapers his apartment, feel like you should also repaper your apartment?". This rejection of the policy of glasnost and perestroika of the Soviet military power has met an angry reception both in the party base, as well as in the population of the GDR. Wolf Biermann titled Hager - probably out of this occasion, in his song "The Ballad of the corrupt old men" scornfully as "Professor Tapeten-Kutte". In a spontaneous encounter with GDR-journalists - when they came into his residence, the "Wachobjekt Wandlitz", for the first time - Hager said, he was placed there against his will at the climax of the Cold War. It had "the decisions of the party bent," said Hager in the presence of his wife. Wandlitz, which after 1989 became the epitome of the duplicity of DDR-Oberen made a name for himself had he described as its seventh internment camp, in which he had come.

In November 1989 Hager from his functions, and in 1990 from the SED- PDS.

Hager has won numerous awards. He received 1956 Hans-Beimler-Medaille, 1962 Banner of Labor, 1964 Patriotic Order of Merit, 1969 entitled hero of the work, as well as 1972, 1977 and 1982 Karl-Marx Order.

His daughter Nina Hager, joined somewhat in the footsteps of her father. She is vice chairman of the German Communist Party (DKP), a member of the National Executive and there are other positions.

His grave is located on the Central Cemetery Friedrichshafen Felde.