Rainer Eckert (historian)

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Rainer Eckert (born January 16, 1950 in Potsdam ) is a German historian and political scientist . Until the end of September 2015 he was director of the Contemporary History Forum Leipzig .

Life

Eckert passed the Abitur in Potsdam in 1968. In 1968 he voted no in the vote on the “socialist constitution” of the GDR and was “brought by the police” to a protest against the demolition of the Potsdam garrison church . After the aggression of the Warsaw Pact against Czechoslovakia on August 21, 1968, against which he had demonstrated , he gave up his place as a history teacher for political reasons. After working for a year as an archive assistant, he studied archival science and history from 1969 to 1972 at East Berlin's Humboldt University . In 1972 he was expelled from the university as a result of political persecution and banned from the house and banned from Berlin. He worked for three years as a worker, inventory clerk and warehouse manager in a Berlin construction company ( VEB Wasserstraßenbau Berlin ). During this time, the Ministry for State Security (MfS) investigated him for “ subversive agitation ” and “subversive group formation” as part of the “ operational process demagogue” and tried unsuccessfully to blackmail him into cooperation. In 1988 the MfS rated him as an "enemy of the state". In 1975 Eckert passed his diploma as a distance student and, after personal mediation by civil rights activist Ulrike Poppe, began working as a library worker, then as a scientific (auxiliary) worker in the information / documentation department of the Central Institute for History of the Academy of Sciences of the GDR .

Outside of official working hours, he worked on a dissertation on the reflection of the Nazi persecution of the Jews in the exile journalism of Czechoslovakia, which was forced to abandon in 1982 for political reasons. During this time, his work on an international manual of historical reference works also ended , as the MfS prevented necessary trips abroad. Eckert repeatedly refused to join the SED or to become a member of the fighting groups of the working class or of civil defense . In 1984, in addition to his professional activity, he received his doctorate on a topic on German occupation policy in Greece during World War II. From 1988 to 1990 he worked in the research area German History 1917-1945 and from 1990 in the project group German Social History in the 20th Century of the now Institute for German History. From October 1990 to December 1991 Eckert was deputy director of this institute. In the autumn of the revolution in 1989 he was involved in various civil movements and in January 1990 he joined the Social Democratic Party in the GDR (SDP).

From 1992 to 1996 Eckert worked as a university assistant to Heinrich August Winkler at the Chair for Modern History at the Institute for Historical Sciences at Berlin's Humboldt University. From January 1, 1997 Eckert became head of the Leipzig project group, from June 1998 of the Leipzig Contemporary History Forum of the House of History Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany and from 2001 to the end of September 2015 director of the Leipzig Contemporary History Forum. From 1998 he taught political science at the Otto Suhr Institute of the Free University of Berlin . The habilitation followed in 2001; Eckert was a private lecturer at this institute until 2003, then a private lecturer at the Institute for Cultural Studies at the University of Leipzig and, from 2006, an adjunct professor of political science there.

Eckert publishes on the history of National Socialism, on emigration from the "Third Reich", on the secret service problems in German dictatorships, on the confrontation with them after 1945 and 1989, on the history of the Humboldt University, on the history of the GDR and East Germany after 1989, on the opposition and Resistance in the GDR and the PDS's view of history . There are also texts on the Peaceful Revolution , the museumization of contemporary history and national and international history politics . He is u. a. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Foundation to Cope with the SED Dictatorship , the Board of Trustees of the Ettersberg Foundation and the scientific advisory boards of the Schifflersgrund Border Museum, the Torgau Closed Youth Workshop Memorial and the Potsdam Garrison Church Foundation. Eckert was a member of the advisory expert commissions of the Free State of Saxony for the organization of the double anniversary "20 and 25 years of the Peaceful Revolution and German Unity" and is a member of the Leipzig Citizens Movement Archives. In 2014, the archive received the German National Prize together with Leipzig civil rights activists .

He received various awards. In 2009, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon and has received the Saxon Constitutional Medal . In 2014 he received the Gratitude Medal from the European Solidarnosc Center in Gdansk. In 1991 there was the Federal Minister for Research and Technology's sponsorship award for GDR researchers, in 2004 (together with others) the “Citizens' Prize for German Unity”, in 2009 the SPD's certificate of honor for the members of the East German social democracy in their founding phase (together with others) and in the same year the Leipzig Tourism Prize. In November 2014 he also received an award for the founders of East German Social Democracy. In November 2018, this was followed by the honorary award from the Torgau Closed Youth Work Center Memorial.

Fonts (selection)

  • [Collaboration] Academy of Sciences of the GDR, Central Institute for History, Department Information u. Documentation: Annual reports for German history, NF 30./31. Born 1978/79-NF 39th year 1987, Berlin 1981–1989.
  • [Collaboration or editing] Academy of Sciences of the GDR, Central Institute for History, Information u. Documentation: Selected bibliography of historical workers from the GDR / historical research in the GDR, reporting year 1977–1988, Berlin 1978–1989.
  • The leaders and managing directors of the Reichsgruppe Industrie, its main and economic groups: Documentation on their position in monopolies, monopoly associations and in state monopoly economic regulation , 1-2, in: Jahrbuch Wirtschaftsgeschichte, Berlin, (1979) 4, pp. 243-277 ; (1980) 1, pp. 177-232.
  • The economic plunder of Greece by its German occupiers from the beginning of the occupation in April 1941 to the turn of the war in the winter of 1942/43 , in: Jahrbuch für Geschichte, Berlin, (1988) 6., pp. 235–266.
  • Reporting in Fascism: Outline of reporting by the Gestapo, Security Service of the Reichsführer SS, Government and Upper Presidents with special consideration of the available source editions , in: Bulletin Faschismus / Second World War, Berlin, (1990) 1-4, pp. 67–119.
  • with Alexander von Plato , Jörn Schütrumpf (Ed.): Wendezeiten - times walls. On “denazification” and “de-Stalinization”. Results, Hamburg 1991.
  • with Wolfgang Küttler , Gustav Seeber (Ed.): Crisis - Change - New Beginning. A critical and self-critical documentation of the GDR historical studies 1989/1990. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1992.
  • Secret service files as a historical source: A comparison between the mood reports of the security service of the SS and the Ministry for State Security of the GDR , in: Florath, Bernd; Mitter, Armin; Wool, Stefan (Ed.): The powerlessness of the almighty: Secret services and political police in modern society, Links, Berlin 1992, pp. 263-296.
  • From “Fall Marita” to “economic special campaign”. The German occupation policy in Greece from April 6, 1941 to the turn of the war in February / March 1943. (= European university publications: R. III History and its auxiliary sciences. 521). Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a. 1992.
  • with Dieter Dowe (ed.): From the citizen movement to the party. The founding of social democracy in the GDR. Friedrich Ebert Foundation , Bonn 1993.
  • The Berlin Humboldt University and the Ministry for State Security , in: Germany Archive, Cologne, 26 (1993) 7, pp. 770–785.
  • with Mechthild Günther, Stefan Wolle: "Class opponents succeeded in penetrating ...": Case study on the anatomy of political persecution campaigns using the example of the history section of the Humboldt University in Berlin from 1968 to 1972 , in: Yearbook for historical communism research, Berlin, 1 ( 1993), pp. 197-225.
  • "Coping with the past" 1945-1947 and 1989-1991: Differences and similarities: Theses on dealing with the GDR past, in: Sühl, Klaus (Ed.): Coping with the past 1945 and 1989: An impossible comparison ?. Volk und Welt, Berlin 1994, pp. 155–166.
  • A failed new beginning ?, in: Geschichte und Gesellschaft, Göttingen, 20 (1994) 4, pp. 609–615.
  • with Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk , Isolde Stark (Ed.): Whore or Muse? Klio in the GDR. Documents and materials from the Independent Association of Historians. Berlin Debate, Berlin 1994.
  • Secret service and universities in the GDR , in: Jarausch, Konrad J .; Middell, Matthias (Ed.): After the earthquake: (Re) construction of East German history and historical science, Leipziger Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 1994, pp. 304–338.
  • The operational process of the demagogue as an example for the struggle of the state security against the opposition in the GDR in the early seventies , in: Klaus-Dietmar Henke , Roger Engelmann (Ed.): Aktenlage. The importance of the records of the State Security Service for contemporary history research, Links, Berlin 1995, SS 184–189 ( books.google.de ).
  • with Ulrike Poppe , Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk (eds.): Between self-assertion and adaptation. Forms of resistance and opposition in the GDR. Left, Berlin 1995.
  • with Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk, Ulrike Poppe (ed.): Who is writing the history of the GDR? A historians' dispute over positions, structures, finances, etc. Interpretation skills. Evangelical Academy Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin 1995.
  • On the role of the mass organizations in the everyday life of the GDR population , in: German Bundestag (ed.): Materials of the Enquete Commission "Working up the history and consequences of the SED dictatorship in Germany", II, 2 Power, Decision, Responsibility. Nomos, Baden-Baden 1995, pp. 1243-1300.
  • The revolutionary crisis at the end of the eighties and the formation of the opposition , in: German Bundestag (Hrsg.): Materials of the Enquete Commission "Working up the history and consequences of the SED dictatorship in Germany". VII, 1 resistance, opposition, revolution. Nomos, Baden-Baden 1995, pp. 667-757.
  • with Bernd Faulenbach (Ed.): Half-hearted revisionism: On the post-communist image of history of the PDS. Olzog, Munich / Landsberg am Lech 1996.
  • Resistance and Opposition in the GDR: Seventeen Theses , in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswwissenschaft, Berlin, 44 (1996) 1, pp. 49–67.
  • Workers in the Prussian Province: Rhine Province, Silesia a. Pomerania 1933 to 1939 in comparison. Lang, Frankfurt am Main [a. a.] 1997.
  • with Ulrike Poppe, Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk (eds.): "The new time moves with us ...": The SED between the end of the war and the building of the wall . Evangelical Academy Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin 1998.
  • The Western Relations of Historians in the Eye of State Security, in: Historische Zeitschrift: Beiheft; NF 27, Munich (1998), pp. 93-105.
  • Coming to terms with the history of the GDR: A task of political education work, in: Universitas, Stuttgart, 54 (1999) 631, pp. 39–51.
  • Opposition and repression in the GDR from the building of the wall to the expulsion of Biermann (1961-1976) , in: Archive for Social History, Bonn, 39 (1999), pp. 355-390.
  • The activities of smaller oppositional groups , in: Kuhrt, Eberhard; Buck, Hannsjörg F .; Holzweißig, Gunter (ed.): Opposition in the GDR from the 1970s until the collapse of SED rule. Leske + Budrich, Opladen 1999, pp. 705-717.
  • The role of the Ministry for State Security at the universities of the GDR on the examples of the Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Rostock, in: German Bundestag (Hrsg.): Materials of the Enquete Commission "Overcoming the consequences of the SED dictatorship in the process of German Unity ", IV, 2 Education, Science, Culture. Nomos, Baden-Baden 1999, pp. 1013-1070.
  • Emigration Journalism and the Persecution of Jews: The Example of Czechoslovakia. Lang, Frankfurt am Main [a. a.] 2000.
  • with Bernd Lindner (Ed.): Knock sign. Art and culture of the 80s in Germany. Faber and Faber, Leipzig 2002.
  • with Bernd Faulenbach (Ed.): On the way to civil society? Myth and reality of the 60s and 70s in East and West. Klartext, Essen 2003.
  • Revolution, collapse or "turning point": The end of the second dictatorship on German soil in comparison , in: Timmermann, Heiner (Hrsg.): The GDR between the building of the wall and the fall of the wall. LIT. Muenster; Hamburg; London 2003, pp. 419-448.
  • with Uwe Schwabe (Ed.): From Germany East to Germany West. Oppositionists or traitors? Forum, Leipzig 2003.
  • Resistance, opposition and dictatorship: The churches in the second German dictatorship 1945-1989 / 90, in: The division and reunification of Germany and Korea and the role of the churches. Seoul 2003.
  • Historical dispute and modern contemporary history: Twelve years of dispute over the second German dictatorship; Attempt to take stock, in: Jelich, Franz-Josef; Goch, Stefan (Ed.): History as a burden and an opportunity. Klartext, Essen 2003, pp. 107–122.
  • with Uwe Schwabe (Hrsg.): Andreas Pausch : Weapon refusal in the GDR ... the only possible concession that is justifiable before the people. Archive Citizens Movement, Leipzig 2004.
  • Museum and contemporary history after the end of the second German dictatorship: Das Zeitgeschichtliche Forum Leipzig , in: Hüttmann, Jens; Mählert, Ulrich; Pasternack, Peer (Ed.): Communicating GDR history: approaches and experiences in teaching, university teaching and political education. Metropol, Berlin 2004, pp. 291-301.
  • with Uwe Schwabe (Ed.): Yvonne Liebing : All you need is beat. Youth subculture in Leipzig, 1957–1968. Forum, Leipzig 2005.
  • Anti-totalitarian resistance and communist repression. Selected bibliography with CD. Forum, Leipzig 2006.
  • Family ties: A story from the Cold War, in: Lobmeier, Kornelia; Martin, Anne (Red.): Over there: Deutsche Blickwechsel / Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig (Ed.). Edition Leipzig, Leipzig 2006, pp. 15–23.
  • with Uwe Schwabe (ed.): Enrico Heitzer : Resistance in Altenburg. Forum, Leipzig 2007.
  • with Martin Sabrow , Monika Flacke, Klaus-Dietmar Henke , Freya Klier , Roland Jahn , Tina Krone, Peter Maser , Ulrike Poppe, Hermann Rudolph (eds.): Where are GDR memories drifting? Documentation of a debate. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2007
  • With Kornelia Lobmeier: Swords to Plowshares: History of a Symbol. Foundation House of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany , Bonn 2007.
  • What is true? DDR: The most important answers. (Herder Spectrum, Volume 5735). Herder, Freiburg / Breisgau 2007.
  • A tsunami of memory politics ?: Memory culture, history politics and recent German contemporary history , in: Middell, Matthias (Ed.): Dimensions of cultural and social history: Festschrift for Hannes Siegrist on his 60th birthday. Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 2007, pp. 289–316.
  • Jürgen John and the Central Institute for History of the Academy of Sciences of the GDR , in: Gibas, Monika; Stutz, Rüdiger; Ulbricht, Justus H. (Ed.): Courageous Science: A Festschrift for Jürgen John for his 65th birthday. Glaux, Jena 2007, pp. 351-363.
  • Plea for more research into opposition and resistance at the East German universities after the end of the second German dictatorship, in: Hoßfeld, Uwe; Kaiser, Tobias; Mestrup, Heinz (Ed.): University in Socialism: Studies on the History of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (1945-1990). Vol. 2. Böhlau, Cologne; Weimar; Vienna 2007, pp. 2166-2069.
  • Basic elements of the communist dictatorship in Germany: Resistance, opposition and repression , in: Moldt, Dirk : Between Hatred and Hope: The Blues Masses 1979-1986; A youth event of the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg in its time. Robert Havemann Archive, Berlin 2008, pp. 9–29.
  • The Playboy of the GDR: The ideal world of images of the dictatorship in the magazine, in: Paul, Gerhard (Hrsg.): The century of images: 1949 until today. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2008, pp. 106–113.
  • "Leader of the working class": The visual cult around the "love" of the comrades, in: Paul, Gerhard (Hrsg.): The century of images: 1949 until today. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2008, pp. 56–63.
  • Guilt and contemporary history: Twelve theses on dealing with the German dictatorships , in: Deutschland Archiv, Bielefeld, 41 (2008) 1, pp. 114–121.
  • Memorials, museums, research institutions and historical initiatives in dealing with the communist German dictatorship , in: Jahrbuch für Kulturpolitik, Bonn, (2009), pp. 129–137.
  • Swords for plowshares, in: Sabrow, Martin (Ed.): Memories of the GDR. Beck, Munich 2009, pp. 503-515.
  • Communist dictatorship in the GDR and 20 years of remembrance work: a selection bibliography on resistance, opposition and political repression. Metropol, Berlin 2011.
  • Nikolaikirche, in: Donath, Matthias; Thieme, André (ed.): Saxon myths: Elbe, August, egg peck. Edition Leipzig 2011, pp. 321–333.
  • DDR: Know what is right. Audio book. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2012.
  • The independent peace movement in the GDR , in: Becker-Schaum, Christoph [u, .a.] (Ed.): "Indignant you!": Nuclear crisis, NATO double decision and peace movement, Paderborn [u. a.], 2016, pp. 200–212.
  • Resistance and Opposition in the GDR. From research on the history of National Socialism to dealing with the SED dictatorship . Version: 1.0, In: Docupedia-Zeitgeschichte. published on December 2, 2013.
  • Opposition, Resistance and Revolution: Resistant Behavior in Leipzig. Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle / Saale 2014.
  • Still problems remain , in: Eckhard Jesse, Thomas Schubert (eds.): Peaceful Revolution and Democracy: Perspectives after 25 Years. Ch. Links, Berlin 2014, pp. 185–198.
  • Contemporary witnesses / fall of the wall project: 25 years of Peaceful Revolution , VNG Group, Leipzig 2014.
  • Co-editor: European dictatorships and their overcoming: Writings of the Ettersberg Foundation . - 21-25, Böhlau Verlag, Cologne; Weimar; Vienna, 2015–2019.
  • With Ulrich Brieler (ed.): Unruhiges Leipzig: Contributions to a history of disobedience in Leipzig (sources and research on the history of the city of Leipzig; 12), Universitätsverlag Leipzig, Leipzig 2016.
  • Luther's role in the GDR: Ideological, historical and political foundations of the communist image of Luther in the GDR, in: Luther. 1917 until today: Catalog for the special exhibition of the Dalheim Monastery Foundation, Dalheim Monastery Foundation. Lichtenau-Dalheim 2016, pp. 56–64.
  • Revolution in Potsdam: a city between lethargy, revolt and freedom . Evangelical Publishing House, Leipzig 2017.
  • Revolution in regional comparison: Leipzig and Potsdam in the "German Autumn" 1989, in: Gerbergasse 18, Jena, (2018) 87, pp. 26–33.
  • With Laura Demeter and Uwe Sonnenberg: German Democratic Republic (GDR), in: Apor, Balázs, Apor, Péter and Horváth, Sándor (eds.): The handbook of COURAGE: Cultural opposition and its heritage in Eastern Europe, Research center for the humanities, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 2018, pp. 221–238.
  • It's about nothing, in: Martin Ahrends; Renate Wullstein (Ed.): Back then in Café Heider: The Potsdam scene of the 70s and 80s, neoboks, Berlin 2019, pp. 6–20.
  • Opposition and Resistance, in: Ulrich von Hehl (Ed.) / Uwe John (participation): History of the City of Leipzig: 4. From World War I to the Present, Universitätsverlag Leipzig, Leipzig 2019, pp. 513-540
  • 1968: Mythos Ost - Mythos West, in: Robert Grünbaum; Jens Schöne; Heike Tuchscheerer (Ed.): The double 1968: Hope. Aufbruch.Protest, Metropol Verlag, Berlin 2019, pp. 167–171.
  • SED dictatorship and remembrance work in a united Germany: A selection bibliography, Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle / Saale 2019.
  • It was not a turning point, it was a revolution, in: Christine Meder: Prague in autumn 1989; Photographs from the German Embassy in the Palais Lobkowicz, Munich 2019, pp. 133-139.
  • Archivists as secret police: The Central State Archives of the GDR in Potsdam and the Ministry for State Security, Leipziger Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 2019.
  • Civil rights activists and the Peaceful Revolution: Hopes and Goals - Where Are We Today ?, in: Die Bundeswehr, Berlin November 2019, pp. 12-13.
  • The fall of the Berlin Wall as a result of the Peaceful Revolution, in: URL: http: //www.bpb.de/geschichte/zeitgeschichte/deutschlandarchiv/300029/mauersturz-statt-mauerfall.
  • Preface, in: Gerald Wiemers; Horst Hennig (Ed.): Freedom in Responsibility: Sigurd Binski's Contributions to Contemporary History, Leipziger Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 2020, pp. 7-13.

Important reports

  • with Gabriele Camphausen, Karl-Wilhelm Fricke, Martin Gutzeit, Klaus-Dietmar Henke, Wolfgang Kusior, Siegfried Vergin: Anatomy of the SED dictatorship: State party and state security of the GDR; Report of the recommendations of the "Expert Commission House 1" on the future use of the former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security of the GDR in House 1 on Normannenstrasse in Berlin-Lichtenberg, Berlin, 2001.
  • Initial assessment of the permanent exhibition "House of Terror", Budapest, 2002.
  • with Henrike Girmond: The Thuringian Border Museums: Inventory and Recommendations, Leipzig, 2003.
  • with Martin Sabrow , Monika Flacke, Klaus-Dietmar Henke , Freya Klier , Roland Jahn , Tina Krone, Peter Maser , Ulrike Poppe, Hermann Rudolph : Recommendations of the expert commission for the creation of a historical network "Working through the SED dictatorship", Berlin, 2006.
  • Expert opinion on the development of an archive and an interactive learning location for the closed youth work center Torgau, Torgau, 2009.
  • with Klaus-Dietmar Henke, Volkhard Knigge, Anna Kaminsky and Hermann Wentker: Report and recommendations of the historians' commission for a "State funding concept for memorials and learning locations to come to terms with the SED dictatorship", Erfurt, 2011.
  • Expert opinion on the Lindenstrasse 54/55 memorial for the victims of political violence in the 20th century, Potsdam, 2012.
  • Conceptos del Lugar de la Memoria, Lima / Peru, 2011 and 2013.
  • "History site` Runde Ecke` Leipzig ", Leipzig, 2016.

Membership in committees and associations (selection)

  • Temporary member (also founding member) of scientific and historical-political committees and institutions since 1990: "German Memory", "Oral-history-Project Berlin Young People", Berlin-Brandenburgische Geschichtswerkstatt, Berlin; Berlin Forum for Past and Present, Berlin; German Society for Political Science, Berlin; German Society for Sociology, Social Policy Section; Berlin; Friends of the Memorial Library in Honor of the Victims of Stalinism, Berlin; Association for the development of cultural foundries, Schöneiche near Berlin; Friends of the Evangelical Academy, Berlin; Circle of Friends of Critical Social Democrats, Berlin; Historians Society of the GDR [until 1990], Berlin; Historical Commission Berlin and Saxony of the SPD, Berlin / Dresden; Körber Foundation, Hamburg [Federal Jury]; Association of Historians of Germany, Munich [u. a.]; Association for City History, Leipzig; Association knowledge through memory, Dresden; Association Against Forgetting / For Democracy, Bochum [u. a.], Association for the Promotion of Biography and Oral History, Berlin.
  • Member of the board of the Independent Association of Historians, Berlin, 1993–1996.
  • Deputy Federal Chairman and Assessor of the Kurt Schumacher Society, Bonn, 1996–2005.
  • Board member of the Society for Research in Germany, Bonn, 1998–2002.
  • Member of the Advisory Board of the Documentation Center for Everyday Culture of the GDR, Eisenhüttenstadt, 1998–2014.
  • Deputy member of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Foundation for the Processing of the SED Dictatorship Berlin, 1998-.
  • Member of the working group for the redesign of the former official residence of the Minister for State Security, Berlin, 2000–2002.
  • Member of the scientific advisory board and foundation board (until 2007) of the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial, 2000–2013.
  • Member of the Advisory Board of President Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Heidelberg, 2001–2012
  • Member of the scientific advisory board of the Torgau Closed Youth Workshop Memorial , 2007–
  • Member of the scientific advisory board for the Berlin Wall Memorial Berlin-Bernauer Strasse, 2002–2010.
  • Member of the expert commission on the historical network "Working up the SED dictatorship" of the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Berlin, 2005–2006.
  • Member of the scientific advisory board or group of experts at the memorial and meeting place of the KGB detention center in Potsdam-Leistikowstrasse, 2006–2010.
  • Spokesman and deputy spokesman for the initiative "Day of the Peaceful Revolution - Leipzig, October 9th", 2008–2012.
  • Member of the advisory committee for the development of the MfS Detention Center Erfurt-Andreasstrasse memorial, 2008–2013.
  • Member of the expert commission of the Saxon state government for the preparation of the 20th and 25th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution, Dresden, 2008, 2013.
  • Expert and member of the accompanying committee and working group "Leipzig Freedom and Unity Monument", 2009–2018.
  • Advice on setting up the memorial for the victims of terrorism (Lugar de la Memoria), Lima / Peru, 2010–2011.
  • Federal juror in the history competition of the Federal President of the Körber Foundation, Hamburg, 2011.
  • Deputy Chairman of the International Scientific Advisory Board of the Willy Brandt Foundation Berlin / Lübeck (2016–2018).
  • Member of the board of trustees for the development of an academic history of the city of Leipzig, 2011–2019.
  • Member of the scientific advisory board special exhibition "Martin Luther in the 20th Century", Dalheim Monastery, 2015–2016.
  • Member of the project group "Bar Talks" of the Kirchentag auf dem Weg ", Leipzig, 2015–2017 (and preparation of other Kirchentag).
  • Deputy chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Grenzmuseum Schifflersgrund , 2017–.
  • Member of the Scientific Advisory Board (2012–2014) and the Foundation Council of the Ettersberg Foundation : European Dictatorship Research Review of the SED Dictatorship Memorial Andreasstrasse, Weimar / Erfurt, 2014–.
  • Member (from mid-2018 chairman) of the scientific advisory committee of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former GDR Berlin, 2018-.
  • Member of the historical commission of the party executive of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (2001 until dissolution in mid-2018)
  • Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Garrison Church Potsdam Foundation, 2018–
  • Member of the German Museum Association
  • Member of the Association of Destroyed Churches: Working group of initiatives for the reconstruction of churches destroyed in the GDR, Leipzig, 2016–
  • Member of the Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation , 2018–
  • Member of the Association for the Reconstruction of the Garrison Church in Potsdam
  • Member of the founding group of the network "Social Democracy", 2018-
  • Member of the scientific advisory committee, permanent exhibition of the German-German Museum Mödlareuth, 2019-.

Contemporary witness portals

- Archive Citizens Movement, Leipzig

- Federal foundation to come to terms with the SED dictatorship, Berlin

- Brandenburg state commissioner to deal with the SED dictatorship, Potsdam

Awards

  • 1968 Letter of appreciation from the Minister of the Interior and Chief of the German People's Police for great sense of responsibility and great personal courage in rescuing someone from mortal danger
  • 1973 Artur Becker Medal in bronze
  • 1991 Prize of the Federal Minister for Research and Technology for GDR scientists.
  • 1991 Humboldt and Krupp scholarship holder
  • 2004 (together with others) "Citizens' Prize for German Unity".
  • 2008 Saxon Constitutional Medal.
  • 2009 Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon .
  • 2009 Certificate of Honor from the SPD for the members of the East German Social Democrats in their founding phase.
  • 2009 Leipzig Tourism Prize.
  • 2014 Medal of Gratitude from the European Solidarnocs Center in Gdansk.
  • 2014 Award for the founders of East German Social Democracy.
  • 2018 Prize of Honor from the Torgau Closed Youth Work Center Memorial
  • 2019 Certificate of Honor for special commitment in the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

literature

  • Schmeidel, John C .: Stasi: Shield and Sword of the Party. London; New York 2008. = Studies in Intelligence Series, pp. 96-107, ISBN 978-0-415-36589-5 .
  • Corinna Buschow, Maria Dobner: Karl May from grandma. The book smuggler Rainer Eckert. In: Siegfried Lokatis (Ed.): Secret readers in the GDR: Control and distribution of illegal literature. Ch. Links Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-86153-494-5 . (books.google.de)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.horch-und-guck.info/hug/fileadmin/templates/pdf/HuG-15-S.01-15.pdf
  2. ^ Reference on the website of the foundation , accessed on November 3, 2012.
  3. ↑ Information from the Ordenskanzlei of the Office of the Federal President
  4. ^ Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin: German-Polish scientific conference in Leipzig under the patronage of the Polish ambassador , April 8, 2014 (accessed on January 9, 2016)
  5. ^ Opposition, Resistance and Revolution Description of the publisher
personal data
SURNAME Eckert, Rainer
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German historian, political scientist and museum director
DATE OF BIRTH January 16, 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH Potsdam