List of members of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED

The List of members of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) gives an overview of the secretaries and their areas of responsibility. Central Committee secretaries had the authority to give instructions to state ministers.

January 1949 Elected at the 16th meeting of the Party Executive:

Edith Baumann Women's Secretariat of the Central Committee Franz Dahlem KPD Working Office in the Central Committee West Department of the Central Committee Fred Oelßner Propaganda Department of the Central Committee Science Department of the Central Committee Culture Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy Paul Wessel (until February 1950) Economic Policy Department of the Central Committee (from October 1949) Health Policy Department of the Central Committee Walter Ulbricht Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Church Affairs Department of the Central Committee Economic Policy Department of the Central Committee (until October 1949) Alexander Abusch (from March 1950)

July 1950 Elected at the 3rd Party Congress of the SED:

Hermann Axen Mass Agitation and Press Department of the Central Committee Foreign Information Department of the Central Committee Edith Baumann Women's Secretariat of the Central Committee (until December 1952, integrated into new Leading Party Organs and Mass Organizations Department) Financial Administration and Party Businesses Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg Franz Dahlem (until 1952) KPD Working Office in the Central Committee (until 1952) West Department of the Central Committee (until 1952) (from September 1952) Economic Policy Department of the Central Committee (from September 1952) (until May 1953) Culture Department of the Central Committee Fred Oelßner Propaganda Department of the Central Committee Science Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee (from 21 December 1951) Einheit Karl Schirdewan (from December 1952) Leading Party Organs and Mass Organizations Department of the Central Committee (from December 1952) Otto Schön Organization Instructor Department of the Central Committee (until December 1952, integrated into new Leading Party Organs and Mass Organizations Department) Willi Stoph Economic Policy Department of the Central Committee Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee (until 1952) Health Policy Department of the Central Committee (until 1952) Walter Ulbricht General Secretary of the Central Committee Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee International Relations Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Church Affairs Department of the Central Committee KPD Working Office in the Central Committee (from 1952) West Department of the Central Committee (from 1952) Paul Verner Kurt Vieweg Agriculture Department of the Central Committee Herbert Warnke

July 1953 Elected at the 15th Plenum of the Central Committee

Erich Mückenberger Agriculture Department of the Central Committee Fred Oelßner Agitation Department of the Central Committee Propaganda Department of the Central Committee Science Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee Karl Schirdewan Leading Party Organs and Mass Organizations Department of the Central Committee West Department of the Central Committee KPD Working Office in the Central Committee Youth Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg Walter Ulbricht First Secretary of the Central Committee Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee International Relations Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Church Affairs Department of the Central Committee Paul Wandel Culture Department of the Central Committee Public Education Department of the Central Committee Gerhart Ziller Construction Department of the Central Committee Research and Technical Development Department of the Central Committee Health Policy Department of the Central Committee Trade Unions and Social Policy Department of the Central Committee Basic Industry Department of the Central Committee Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee Light, Food and Bezirk-managed Industries Department of the Central Committee Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy Department of the Central Committee Planning and Finance Department of the Central Committee Transport and Communications Department of the Central Committee

April 1954 Elected at the 4th Party Congress of the SED:

Paul Fröhlich (since 6 February 1958) Gerhard Grüneberg (since 6 February 1958) State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Kurt Hager (since 15 April 1955) Science Department of the Central Committee Public Education Department of the Central Committee (from 1957) Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee (from 1957) Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee (from 1958) Erich Honecker (since 6 February 1958) Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee Party Organs Department of the Central Committee Youth Department of the Central Committee Woman Department of the Central Committee Sports Department of the Central Committee Erich Mückenberger Agriculture Department of the Central Committee Alfred Neumann (since 1 February 1957) Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg Albert Norden (since 15 April 1955) Agitation Department of the Central Committee Foreign Information Department of the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy Fred Oelßner (until November 1955) Agitation Department of the Central Committee Propaganda Department of the Central Committee Science Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee Karl Schirdewan (until 6 February 1958) Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee (from 1956) Party Organs Department of the Central Committee Youth Department of the Central Committee Woman Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg (until 1955) Paul Verner (since 6 February 1958) Church Affairs Department of the Central Committee Walter Ulbricht First Secretary of the Central Committee Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee (until 1956) International Relations Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee (until 6 February 1958) State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee (until 6 February 1958) Church Affairs Department of the Central Committee (until 6 February 1958) Einheit (from 1956) Paul Wandel (until 19 October 1957) Culture Department of the Central Committee Public Education Department of the Central Committee Gerhart Ziller (died 14 December 1957) Construction Department of the Central Committee Research and Technical Development Department of the Central Committee Trade Unions and Social Policy Department of the Central Committee Basic Industry Department of the Central Committee Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee Light, Food and Bezirk-managed Industries Department of the Central Committee Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy Department of the Central Committee Planning and Finance Department of the Central Committee Transport and Communications Department of the Central Committee

July 1958 Elected at the 5th Party Congress of the SED:

Erich Apel (from 4 July 1961 to 28 June 1962) Construction Department of the Central Committee Research and Technical Development Department of the Central Committee Trade Unions and Social Policy Department of the Central Committee Basic Industry Department of the Central Committee Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy Department of the Central Committee Planning and Finance Department of the Central Committee Transport and Communications Department of the Central Committee Edith Baumann (from November 1961) Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee Light, Food and Bezirk-managed Industries Department of the Central Committee Gerhard Grüneberg Agriculture Department of the Central Committee (from 1961) State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Kurt Hager Science Department of the Central Committee Public Education Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee Erich Honecker Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee Party Organs Department of the Central Committee Youth Department of the Central Committee Woman Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg (from 1961) Günter Mittag (since 28 June 1962) Construction Department of the Central Committee Research and Technical Development Department of the Central Committee Trade Unions and Social Policy Department of the Central Committee Basic Industry Department of the Central Committee Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy Department of the Central Committee Planning and Finance Department of the Central Committee Transport and Communications Department of the Central Committee Erich Mückenberger (until 1961) Agriculture Department of the Central Committee Alfred Neumann (until 1961) Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg Albert Norden Agitation Department of the Central Committee Foreign Information Department of the Central Committee "Karl Marx" Party Academy West Department of the Central Committee of the Central Committee (since 1960) Walter Ulbricht First Secretary of the Central Committee International Relations Department of the Central Committee Paul Verner Working Group on Church Issues of the Central Committee Sports Department of the Central Committee

January 1963 Elected at the 6th Party Congress of the SED:

Hermann Axen (since 15 February 1966) International Relations Department of the Central Committee Gerhard Grüneberg Agriculture Department of the Central Committee State and Legal Affairs Department of the Central Committee Kurt Hager Science Department of the Central Committee Culture Department of the Central Committee Public Education Department of the Central Committee Institute for Marxism–Leninism at the Central Committee Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee Einheit Erich Honecker Cadre Affairs Department of the Central Committee Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee Party Organs Department of the Central Committee Youth Department of the Central Committee Woman Department of the Central Committee Neuer Weg Werner Jarowinsky (since 1 November 1963) Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee Günter Mittag Construction Department of the Central Committee Research and Technical Development Department of the Central Committee Trade Unions and Social Policy Department of the Central Committee Basic Industry Department of the Central Committee Trade and Supply Department of the Central Committee (until 1 November 1963) Light, Food and Bezirk-managed Industries Department of the Central Committee Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy Department of the Central Committee