Harry Tisch

Harry Tisch
Tisch in 1983
Chairman of the Free German Trade Union Federation
In office 26 April 1975 – 2 November 1989
Deputy	Wolfgang Beyreuther Johanna Töpfer
Preceded by	Herbert Warnke
Succeeded by	Annelis Kimmel
First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party in Bezirk Rostock
In office 21 July 1961 – 29 April 1975
Second Secretary	Ernst Timm Heinz Lange
Preceded by	Karl Mewis
Succeeded by	Ernst Timm
Personal details
Born	(1927-03-28)28 March 1927 Heinrichswalde, Province of Pomerania, Free State of Prussia, Weimar Republic (now Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany)
Died	18 June 1995(1995-06-18) (aged 68) Berlin, Germany
Party	Socialist Unity Party (1946–1989)
Other political affiliations	Communist Party of Germany (1945–1946)
Alma mater	Party Academy Karl Marx
Occupation	Politician Civil Servant Union Official Locksmith
Awards	Patriotic Order of Merit, 1st class Order of Karl Marx
Central institution membership 1975–1989: Full member, Politburo of the Central Committee 1971–1975: Candidate member, Politburo of the Central Committee 1963–1989: Full member, Central Committee Other offices held 1975–1989: Member, State Council 1963–1989: Member, Volkskammer 1959–1961: Chairman, Bezirk Rostock Council 1955–1959: Secretary for the Economy, Socialist Unity Party in Bezirk Rostock 1950–1952: Member, Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Harry Tisch (March 28, 1927, Heinrichswalde – June 18, 1995) was an East German politician and trade unionist who served as Chairman of the Free German Trade Union Federation between 1975 and 1989. He was also a member of the State Council from 1976 until he was forced to resign in November 1989.

Early career

Following World War II, Tisch worked as a locksmith in Ueckermünde and joined the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, the German Free Youth League and the German Free Trade Unions. From 1948 to 1953 he held several leading positions. From 1953 to 1955 he studied at the Karl Marx Higher Party School.

Career and awards

He was a recipient of the Patriotic Order of Merit in Gold in 1969 and the Order of Karl Marx in 1977.

Following the collapse of the GDR

In a trial for profiting from his position, to the tune of $71 million, Tisch was sentenced in 1991 to 18 months in prison and released after serving 14 months in pre-trial detention. He died of heart failure in 1995. Harry Tisch was a fan of the German football club FC Hansa Rostock.