List of opposition members in the GDR

This list includes opposition figures and people of the resistance in the DDR and previously in the Soviet occupation zone .

The people are listed alphabetically according to the grouping of their work. In order to avoid double entries, people who were active in different groups are only mentioned in one of these. Working groups and working groups are listed at the end of each section.

Student resistance

• Herbert Belter (1929–1951), student and senior member of the Belter group , executed in Moscow
• Martin Hoffmann (1930-2018), student
• Siegfried Jenkner (1930–2018), student
• Wolfgang Natonek (1919–1994), student politician
• Hans-Joachim Näther (1929–1950), high school student, executed in Moscow

Resistance from the political parties

• Heinz Brandt (1909–1986), SED
• Georg Dertinger (1902–1968), CDU
• Hugo Dornhofer (1896–1977), CDU
• Arno Esch (1928-1951), LDPD
• Herbert Schediwy (1915-1986), CDU

Opposition from the ranks of the SED leadership

• Franz Dahlem (1892–1981), politician
• Max Fechner (1892-1973), politician, in 1953 because of sympathy with the popular uprising of 17 June sentenced
• Rudolf Herrnstadt (1903–1966), politician
• Wolfgang Leonhard (1921–2014), historian
• Franz Loeser (1924–1990), philosopher
• Fritz Schenk (1930–2006), politician, journalist
• Karl Schirdewan (1907–1998), politician
• Wilhelm Zaisser (1893–1958), politician

Dissidents

• Rudolf Bahro (1935–1997), social scientist, writer
• Uwe Bastian (* 1957), sociologist and publicist
• Wolf Biermann (* 1936), songwriter
• Ernst Bloch (1885–1977), political philosopher
• Martin Böttger (* 1947), programmer
• Jutta Braband (* 1949), textile and fashion designer, co-founder of the United Left
• Matthias Domaschk (1957–1981), precision mechanic, representative of the peace movement
• Siegmar Faust (* 1944), writer, speaker
• Werner Fischer (* 1950), pipeline fitter, stage worker, co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative
• Jürgen Fuchs (1950–1999), writer, psychologist
• Wolfgang Harich (1923–1995), philosopher, journalist
• Katja Havemann (* 1947), writer
• Robert Havemann (1910–1982), chemist, political theorist
• Rolf Henrich (* 1944), lawyer, co-founder of the New Forum
• Stefan Heym (1913–2001), writer
• Stephan Krawczyk (* 1955), songwriter, writer
• Erich Loest (1926–2013), writer
• Hans Mayer (1907–2001), literary scholar
• Gert Neumann (* 1942), writer
• Lutz Rathenow (* 1952), writer, since 2011 state representative for the Stasi documents in Saxony
• Siegfried Reiprich (* 1955), founding member of the Jena Literature and Poetry Working Group
• Klaus Schlesinger (1937–2001), writer
• Bernhard Steinberger (1917–1990), economist
• Bettina Wegner (* 1947), songwriter
• Joachim Wenzel (1927–1958), journalist

Church opposition

• Bernd Albani (* 1944), pastor, member of the environmental movement
• Rudolf Albrecht (1942–2015), pastor
• Lothar Alisch (1951-2000), theologian
• Almuth Berger (* 1943), pastor, representative of the church peace movement
• Harald Bretschneider (* 1942), pastor
• Adolf Brockhoff (1919–1997), priest
• Oskar Brüsewitz (1929–1976), pastor
• Heinz-Josef Durstewitz (* 1945), Catholic pastor
• Heino Falcke (* 1929), Protestant provost
• Hans-Jürgen Fischbeck (* 1938), physicist
• Christian Führer (1943–2014), pastor at the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig
• Gerhard Gabriel (* 1950), Protestant pastor
• Roland Geipel (* 1939), Protestant pastor in Gera
• Ralf Hirsch (* 1960), locksmith, clerical clerk, civil rights activist
• Günter Johannsen (* 1950), deacon, 1982 one of the initiators of the Monday peace prayers in Leipzig
• Theo Lehmann (* 1934), Protestant youth pastor
• Heiko Lietz (* 1943), pastor and catechist in Güstrow, Peace concrete
• Ruth Misselwitz (* 1952), Protestant pastor, founder of the Pankow Peace Circle
• Martin-Michael Passauer (* 1943), theologian
• Hans-Georg Rausch (1915–1993), pastor, was the only one to vote against the demolition of the Pauline Church in the Leipzig city council
• Wolfgang Rudolph (* 1945), puppeteer, co-founder of a peace working group in Brandenburg an der Havel
• Günter Särchen (1927-2004), Catholic social worker
• Walter Schilling (1930–2013), theologian, co-founder of the Church from Below
• Georg-Siegfried Schmutzler (1915–2003), Evangelical Lutheran student pastor in Leipzig
• Friedrich Schorlemmer (* 1944), theologian, publicist
• Richard Schröder (* 1943), theologian, philosopher
• Hans Simon (pastor) (* 1935), Protestant pastor at the Zionskirche in Berlin
• Reinhard Steinlein (1919–2006), Protestant pastor and superintendent
• Ulrich Töpfer (* 1953), Protestant youth warden and social pedagogue, initiator of the peace prayers since 1982 in Meiningen
• Wolfram Tschiche (* 1950), theologian and civil rights activist
• Rolf-Michael Turek (* 1949), ev.-luth. Pastor, civil rights activist, supporter of the subversive groups in Leipzig
• Ulrich Woronowicz (1928–2011), Protestant pastor and superintendent as well as book author

• Working group for human rights of the Lukasgemeinde Leipzig-Volkmarsdorf

environmentalist

• Michael Beleites (* 1964), author
• Ernst Dörfler (* 1950), author, founding member of the Green Party in the GDR
• Christian Halbrock (* 1963), historian, co-founder of the environmental library
• Carlo Jordan (* 1951), civil engineer, historian, co-founder of the environmental library , the Arche Green Network and the Green Party in the GDR
• Vollrad Kuhn (* 1956), founding member of the Green Party in the GDR
• Wolfgang Rüddenklau (* 1953), co-founder of the environmental library and critical journalism in the GDR, samizdat editor of the environmental papers

Peace movement

• Werner Fischer (* 1950), co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative (IFM)
• Steffen Gresch (* 1965), carer, actor, author, 1986 co-founder of the human rights working group (Leipzig)
• Peter Grimm (* 1965), journalist, co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative (IFM)
• Nico Hübner (* 1955), opponent of military service
• Roland Jahn (* 1953), transport worker, journalist
• Erwin Killat (* 1933), electrical engineer
• Freya Klier (* 1950), author, director
• Irena Kukutz (* 1950), ceramicist, co-initiator of the Women for Peace network
• Ute Leukert (* 1954), until 1988 Ute Kämpf, 1984 co-founder of Women for Peace in Leipzig.
• Gerd Poppe (* 1941), physicist, co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative (IFM)
• Jutta Seidel (civil rights activist) (* 1950), dentist, co-founder of Women for Peace and the New Forum
• Wolfgang Templin (* 1948), philosopher, co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative (IFM), publicist
• Reinhard Weißhuhn (* 1951), architect, co-founder of the Peace and Human Rights Initiative (IFM)

Opposition 1989

• Michael Arnold (* 1964), stomatology student (now a dentist), spokesman for the Life Initiative (Leipzig)
• Angelika Barbe (* 1951), biologist, founding member of the SDP
• Peter Bickhardt (1933–2018), pastor, co-founder of Democracy Now
• Stephan Bickhardt (* 1959), theologian, co-founder of Democracy Now
• Marianne Birthler (* 1948), catechist , head of the BStU from 2000 to 2011
• Bärbel Bohley (1945–2010), painter, founding member of the New Forum
• Dankwart Brinksmeier (* 1956), pastor, co-founder of the SDP
• Frank Ebert (* 1970), printer at the environmental library
• Frank Eigenfeld (* 1943), geologist and paleontologist, founding member of the New Forum
• Katrin Eigenfeld (* 1946), librarian, founding member of the New Forum
• Konrad Elmer (* 1949), pastor, co-founder of the SDP
• Rainer Eppelmann (* 1943), pastor, co-founder of the democratic awakening , later CDU politician
• Johannes Fischer , nurse, spokesman for the human rights working group (Leipzig)
• Bernd Gehrke (* 1950), economist, co-founder of the United Left
• Martin Gutzeit (* 1952), theologian, politician, co-founder of the SDP
• Katrin Hattenhauer (* 1968), theology student, painter, Justice Working Group , prisoners following the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig in autumn 1989
• Gerold Hildebrand (* 1955), nurse, sociologist, editor of the confession
• Stephan Hilsberg (* 1956), engineer, politician, co-founder of the SDP
• Joachim Kähler (* 1958), Protestant pastor, co-founder of the SDP , host for the foundation in the rectory in Schwante
• Thomas Klein (* 1948), mathematician and economist, group against voices , co-founder of the United Left
• Oliver Kloss (* 1962), political scientist, co-initiator of the appeal on February 13, 1982 in Dresden; Co-founder of the Leipzig Human Rights Working Group
• Silke Krasulsky (* 1968), doctor, member of the coordination group of the Justice Working Group
• Gerd Krauß (* 1952), nurse, founder of the New Forum in Hildburghausen and state spokesman for the New Forum in Thuringia, civil rights activist
• Thomas Kretschmer (* 1955), nurse
• Thomas Krüger (* 1959), theologian, politician, co-founder of the SDP , Church from Below
• Steffen Kühhirt (* 1964), Spokesman for the Human Rights Working Group (Leipzig)
• Christoph Matschie (* 1961), theologian, represented the SDP at the round table
• Markus Meckel (* 1952), pastor, co-founder of the SDP , politician
• Ludwig Mehlhorn (1950–2011), mathematician, co-founder of Democracy Now
• Hans-Jürgen Misselwitz (* 1950), biochemist and theologian, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry of the last GDR government in 1990
• Christoph Motzer , Working Group Human Rights Leipzig
• Dietmar Motzer (* 1970), Leipzig Justice Working Group
• Rainer Müller (* 1966), historian, civil rights activist (Leipzig)
• Ehrhart Neubert (* 1940), pastor, co-founder of the democratic awakening
• Günter Nooke (* 1959), physicist, co-founder of the democratic awakening
• Bernd Oehler (* 1960), theologian, spokesman for the Leipzig Justice Working Group
• Rudi-Karl Pahnke (* 1943), theologian, co-founder and temporarily member of the board of the Democratic Awakening
• Sebastian Pflugbeil (* 1947), physicist, co-founder of the New Forum
• Ulrike Poppe (* 1953), assistant at the Museum of German History , founding member of Democracy Now
• Aram Radomski (* 1963), photographer, journalist
• Jens Reich (* 1939), molecular biologist, doctor, essayist, co-founder of the New Forum
• Steffen Reiche (* 1960), theologian, politician, co-founder of the SDP
• Frank Richter (* 1966), locksmith, spokesman for the human rights working group (Leipzig), legal protection secretary of the DGB
• Thomas Rudolph (* 1963), theology student, social worker, co-founder and spokesman for the Leipzig Justice Working Group
• Siegbert Schefke (* 1959), journalist, co-founder of the environmental library
• Jörg Schneider , toolmaker, author of the appeal for October 7, 1989 in Plauen
• Reinhard Schult (* 1951), bricklayer, politician, founding member of the New Forum
• Werner Schulz (* 1950), food technologist, civil rights activist, co-founder of the New Forum
• Marion Seelig (1953–2013), journalist and author, Gegenstimmen group , co-founder of the United Left
• Rita Sélitrenny (* 1954), political scientist, IFM, citizens' committee to dissolve the MfS / AfNS
• Tom Sello (* 1957), publicist, employee in the environmental library , employee of the Robert Havemann Society
• Gottfried Timm (* 1956), theologian, politician, co-founder of the SDP
• Hans-Jochen Tschiche (1929–2015), theologian, co-founder of the New Forum
• Wolfgang Ullmann (1929–2004), pastor, co-founder of Democracy Now
• Kathrin Walther (* 1970), sociologist, spokeswoman for the Leipzig Justice Working Group
• Hansjörg Weigel (1943–2020), motor vehicle electrician
• Konrad Weiß (* 1942), director, publicist, co-founder of Democracy Now
• Thomas Welz (* 1957), head of the information working group at the Berlin Samaritan community, co-founder of the democratic awakening
• Jo Winter (1944–2006), pastor, poet, head of the peace group “Living without violence” , co-founder of the SDP
• Vera Wollenberger (* 1952), philosopher, co-founder of the Pankow Peace Circle ; Votes against , politician
• Christoph Wonneberger (* 1944), pastor, initiator of the Social Peace Service (SoFd) , organization of Leipzig peace prayers , working group on human rights
• Evelyn Zupke (* 1962), curative educator, co-initiator to uncover the fraud in the local elections in 1989, member of the Weißensee Peace Circle

• Leipzig Justice Working Group
• Group of 20 in Dresden from October 8, 1989 to May 31, 1990.
• Saturday circle as a regular coordination meeting of subversive groups in Leipzig

Other

• Inge Berndt (1926–2005), philosopher (Leipzig)
• Ernst Bloch (1885–1977), philosopher
• Bernd Eisenfeld (1941–2010), historian
• Karl Wilhelm Fricke (* 1929), publicist, kidnapping victim of the Stasi, author of standard works on the resistance in the GDR
• Michael Gartenschläger (1944–1976), escape helper, dismantling of self-firing systems on the inner-German border
• Günter Holwas (1950–2014), musician
• Walter Janka (1914–1994), publisher, head of the Aufbau-Verlag
• Gustav Just (1921–2011), journalist, deputy editor-in-chief of Sonntag
• Josef Kneifel (* 1942), lathe operator, bomb bomber
• Peter Joachim Lapp (* 1941), publicist
• Sieghard Pohl (1925–1994), painter and graphic artist
• Rüdiger Rosenthal (* 1952), author, journalist
• Reginald Rudorf (1929–2008), political scientist and music journalist
• Ulrich Schacht (1951–2018), journalist, writer
• Ralf Schröder (1927–2001), literary scholar
• Jürgen Schweinbraden, Freiherr von Wichmann-Eichhorn (* 1938), psychologist, sociologist, gallery owner and concert organizer
• Eduard Stapel (1953–2017), journalist and theologian, founder of the first homosexuality working groups
• Günter Zehm (1933–2019), publicist
• Heinz Zöger (1915–2000), journalist
• Gerhard Zwerenz (1925–2015), writer

• The Spirit Circle