Klaus Eichler

Klaus Eichler (born October 11, 1939 in Halle ) is a former party and sports functionary in the GDR . From 1988 to 1989 he was President of the German Gymnastics and Sports Association .

Life

Eichler was born the son of a technician and, after attending school, completed an apprenticeship as a skilled chemical worker at VEB Elektrochemische Werke Ammendorf from 1954 to 1957. In 1954 Eichler joined the FDJ and in 1962 became a member of the SED . From 1962 to 1964 Eichler was the first secretary of the FDJ district management of the Leuna works "Walter Ulbricht" . At the same time, he began studying at the engineering school in Köthen , which he graduated as a chemical engineer in 1964. After attending a course at the Karl Marx party college in Berlin, Eichler became first secretary of the FDJ district leadership in Frankfurt (Oder) in 1965 , which he remained until 1974. At the same time he was a member of the SED district leadership and its secretariat as well as a member of the Frankfurt (Oder) district assembly. On June 1, 1963, he was elected to the Central Council of the VII Parliament of the FDJ. From 1965 to 1967 and from 1974 to 1984 he was also a member of the office of the Central Council of the FDJ. In 1974 Eichler was appointed general director of the FDJ travel agency Jugendtourist . At the same time, he completed a correspondence course at the German Academy for State and Law, which he completed in 1975 with the title of Diplom-Staatswissenschaftler. In 1984 Eichler's FDJ career ended. As director of Jugendtourist from 1974 to 1984 he also belonged to the Central Council of the FDJ again, he now switched to sport.

Eichler was initially vice-president from 1984 to 1986, from 1986 1st vice-president of the DTSB and at the same time a member of the NOK of the GDR . On August 22, 1988, Erich Honecker approved the replacement of the incumbent DTSB President Manfred Ewald . The politburo member responsible for sport, Egon Krenz , had pushed for this decision and suggested the following to Erich Honecker:

“Immediately after the Olympic Ball, the Federal Executive Board of the DTSB should meet, say goodbye to Manfred Ewald and elect Klaus Eichler as President of the DTSB. If this approach meets your approval, I would inform the DTSB secretariat this week of Manfred Ewald's request to be dismissed from his position as President of the DTSB for health reasons. "

Honecker had previously designated Rudolf Hellmann as a candidate. However, he worked together with Krenz for Eichler. On November 5, 1988, Ewald's resignation for health reasons was officially announced. Eichler tried to give new impetus to popular sport in particular, but was caught up with political developments. Despite the adjustment to new social developments, which Eichler accommodated with the approval of new sports associations, his resignation was soon requested. He resigned in December 1989.

In 1990 he was initially a member of the campaign leadership of the SED successor party, the PDS . Furthermore, he became the managing director of a travel agency, which to this day, among other things, offers trips mainly with former GDR sports stars.

Honors

Klaus Eichler was awarded the Patriotic Order of Merit in 1973 and 1982 .

swell

1. ^ New Germany of May 29, 1967
2. ↑ Berliner Zeitung of April 30, 1997; Page 19

literature

• Volker Kluge, Olaf W. Reimann:  Eichler, Klaus . In: Who was who in the GDR? 5th edition. Volume 1. Ch. Links, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-86153-561-4 .