Service/branch NPA Air Force Name Gunter Voigt Awards | Rank Major general Years of service 1950–1990 | |
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Born 2 January 1933 (age 91)
Kleintrebnitz, Germany ( 1933-01-02 ) Allegiance German Democratic Republic | ||
Interview mit gunter voigt betriebsleiter der schauinslandbahn
Günter Voigt (born January 2, 1933), is a military scientist and retired major general, whose last assignment was as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of the Air Forces of the National People's Army in the former East Germany.
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Military career
After the vocational training, in 1950 Voigt joined the Volkspolizei as a volunteer. He then became a professional soldier and applied for attendance at the People’s Police Officer’s School in Pirna at Sonnenstein Castle. In 1952 Kursant (officer candidate) Voigt became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
Education and first assignments
As the best school-leaver of the year 1952 Voigt was promoted over the junior officer's rank, (Sub-lieutenant) of the Barracked People's Police - Air, and was appointed to platoon leader of the "1st Aero Club Cottbus" (Code name: KVP-Site 600), the predecessor organization of the Verwaltung Luftstreitkräfte, later the Kommando LSK/LV of the National People's Army.
Due to his continuing excellent performance he became in 1965 deputy chief of the Abteilung Communications and Air Traffic Control of the "1st Aero Club Cottbus". Because he excelled at this staff position as well, he was delegated to high-school study to the Zhukovskyi Air Force Engineering Academy of the Soviet Union. Here he passed all examinations with excellence and graduated with a diploma in military science in 1961. Simultaneously he was awarded with the gold medal for the best graduate 1961 of the Zhukovskyi Air Force Engineering Academy as the best foreign graduate.
Service as staff officer
His permanent outstanding performance and the graduation with excellence recommended by his return to Germany the assignment as deputy chief of the Division Communications and Air Traffic Control of the Kommando LSK/LV. From 1962 to 1963 captain Voigt was Chief of the Communications Branch in that division. This tour of duty was followed by the assignment as Chief of the Division Communications and Air Traffic Control as successor of colonel Wagner. In 1967 he prompted to military scientist Dr.rer.mil..
After this Voigt was assigned to the command and general staff officers course at the General Staff Academy (Russia) from 1973 to 1975. His successor as Chief of the Division Communications and Air Traffic Control was lieutenant-colonel Erich Zettelmann.
After successful study colonel Voigt was assigned to Assistant Chief of Staff – Operations of the Kommando LSK/LV. As successor of major-general Joachim Herbst he worked on that high level staff position until January 1990. Among numerous projects and special tasks in that period he was in charge developing the so-called Air Force Operations- and Tactical Training Center (German: Opertiv-Taktisches Ausbildungszentrums der LSK/LV ). With effect of December 1, 1989 Voigt was replaced by Colonel Siegfried Wünsche.
Service as General
On October 7, 1977, at the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the GDR, colonel Voigt was appointed to Major general (OF-6). His final general’s assignment was to Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of the NPA Air Force.
Retirement
With the disbandment of the National People's Army, major general Voigt retired effective October 2, 1990.
Orders and decorations
Among numerous orders and decorations major general Voigt was awarded with:
Personal life
Voigt is married to his wife Rosemarie, and since 1990 he has been working as independent author.