The rise and fall of East German leader Erich Honecker (302)

The rise and fall of East German leader Erich Honecker (302)

Honecker emerged as an ambitious political player and became the shadowy mastermind behind the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, a crucial moment in twentieth-century history. Author Nathan Morley brings to life the story of the longtime leader of the German Democratic Republic. Drawing from a wealth of untapped archival sources – and firsthand interviews with Honecker’s lawyers, journalists, and contemporary witnesses – Morley paints a vivid portrait of how an uneducated miner’s son from the Saarland rose to the highest ranks of the German Communist Party. Having survived a decade of brutality in Nazi prisons, and frequently on the verge of being relegated to obscurity, he managed to overthrow strongman Walter Ulbricht at the height of the Cold War and reigned supreme over the GDR between 1971-1989. However, by 1980, the Honecker honeymoon was on the wane as a decade of economic and social difficulties blighted the GDR. Then, as tumultuous changes swept through the Soviet bloc, everything in and around him collapsed in 1989. His health, his certainties, his ideology, his apparatus of power, and his beloved SED party. 0:00 Introduction and discussion on the life of Eric Honecker 5:42 Overview of Honecker's early life and family background 13:49 Honecker's return to Germany and the state of the country 19:37 Honecker's post-war life and rise in East German politics 28:01 Honecker's struggle with the exodus of East Germany's population 34:53 Operation Rose: The division of Berlin 44:10 Public perception of Honecker in East Germany 46:05 Intensifying economic struggles in East Germany and Poland 55:26 Honecker's refusal to follow Gorbachev's reforms and health decline 1:01:19 Honecker's extradition and trial in Berlin 1:03:17 Honecker's release and final years in Chile 1:05:29 Honecker's funeral and tributes received 1:06:51 Mention of the book "The Man Who built the Berlin Wall" by Nathan Moreley and podcast extras 1:07:22 Acknowledgement of podcast's financial supporters and closing remarks Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781399088824 The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Book giveaway entry info here https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway/ Episodes mentioned: History of East Germany https://coldwarconversations.com/episode284/ Doping of East German athletes https://coldwarconversations.com/episode264/ Polish strikes in 1980 https://coldwarconversations.com/episode152/ Extra episode information https://coldwarconversations.com/episode302/ Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Radio GDR If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jaksot(443)

British Army "stay behinds"  the Special OP Troop (212)

British Army "stay behinds" the Special OP Troop (212)

I speak with Colin Ferguson a veteran from the British Army‘s covert Special Observation Post Troop which was founded in 1982. The "stay behind" Special OP Troop consisted of selected soldiers in 6 ma...

11 Joulu 20211h 19min

A Cold War childhood in Albania (211)

A Cold War childhood in Albania (211)

Lea Ypi grew up in one of the most isolated countries on earth, a place where communist ideals had officially replaced religion. Albania, the last Stalinist outpost in Europe, was almost impossible to...

3 Joulu 20211h 1min

The Cold War handshake in the heavens - the Apollo-Soyuz mission (210)

The Cold War handshake in the heavens - the Apollo-Soyuz mission (210)

On 17 July 1975 the first manned international space mission, carried out jointly by the United States and the Soviet Union. Millions of people around the world watched on television as a United State...

27 Marras 20211h 15min

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev - aspiring actor and poetry fan (209)

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev - aspiring actor and poetry fan (209)

Now, what do you think of when you hear the name Leonid Brezhnev who ruled the Soviet Union for 18 years from the 1960s to the 1980s?  An old guy waving weakly from the Lenin mausoleum? Well, think a...

14 Marras 202159min

Born into a family of  Canadian Communists (208)

Born into a family of Canadian Communists (208)

Fred Weir was a third-generation red diaper baby from Toronto and a long-time member of the Communist Party. His uncle, trained at the Lenin School in Moscow in the 1920s as an agent of the Communist ...

13 Marras 20211h 5min

Berlin: Capital of Spies (207)

Berlin: Capital of Spies (207)

For almost half a century, the hottest front in the Cold War was right across Berlin. From summer 1945 until 1990, spying was part of everyday life in both East and West Berlin. I speak with historian...

6 Marras 202155min

How a Soviet conscript became a NATO General (206)

How a Soviet conscript became a NATO General (206)

In 1985, an eighteen-year-old named Riho Terras arrived at the Soviet armed forces’ large conscript assessment facility in Tallinn obeying his conscription orders. Little did he know that 26 years lat...

29 Loka 20211h 1min

Terrorism in the Cold War (205)

Terrorism in the Cold War (205)

I talk with the writers and editors of Terrorism in the Cold War a new two volume book that uses a wide range of case studies including Polish Military Intelligence and Its Secret Relationship with th...

22 Loka 202159min

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