Lothar Ahrendt

Career

Ahrendt was a member of Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). He served as deputy interior minister until 18 November 1989 when he was appointed minister of interior, replacing Friedrich Dickel in the post. Ahrendt was part of interim and "reform-minded" cabinet formed by Prime Minister Hans Modrow.

Unlike previous East German interior ministers, Ahrendt was not the chief of the German People’s Police (the Deutsche Volkspolizei). as for the first time since the DDR's establishment these two offices were divided. In mid-January 1990, the Ministry of Interior declared that by 25 January all weapons from former secret police agents, including 124,000 pistols, 76,000 submachine guns, about 3,500 grenade-launchers and 342 anti-aircraft guns would be retrieved. Ahrendt's term ended on 12 April 1990.