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Erich Honecker

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World Leader

The Resume

    (August 25, 1912-May 29, 1994)
    Born in Neunkirchen, Germany
    Head of state of East Germany (1971-89)
    Died in exile in Chile

Why he might be annoying:

    As secretary for security, he was in charge of building the Berlin Wall.
    He issued shoot to kill orders to East German border guards.
    Before he was forced out of office, he was preparing to have security forces fire on peaceful demonstrators.
    He avoided punishment for any Cold War crimes when Germany ruled he was too ill to stand trial.
    The Hannover Allgemeine Zeitung editorialized, 'Erich Honecker was able to die peacefully with his family. That is more than he allowed many people whom he saw as 'traitors,' 'escapees from the republic,' or 'enemies of socialism.''

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was imprisoned by the Nazis from 1937 until the end of World War II.
    He adopted a program of 'consumer socialism' that improved living standards.
    He established diplomatic relations with West Germany and was the first East German leader to visit West Germany.
    He died of liver cancer a little more than a year after he was allowed to leave Germany.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 375 Votes: 65.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 18 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 32 Votes: 65.62% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 50 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 194 Votes: 64.95% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 18 Votes: 61.11% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 31 Votes: 54.84% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 36 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 37 Votes: 51.35% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 655 Votes: 79.69% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 331 Votes: 76.74% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 1081 Votes: 68.46% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 58 Votes: 74.14% Annoying