special collection

Erich Honecker Papers

Erich Honecker’s personal papers in the Wende Museum’s collection document the last four years in the life of the communist leader who ruled East Germany from 1971 to 1989. In his will, Honecker specifically requested that his personal papers be housed in a non-German institution. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Honecker was imprisoned in Berlin’s Moabit Prison and charged with thirteen counts of manslaughter for ordering deadly force against its own citizens who were trying to flee East Germany. These orders of deadly force ultimately resulted in 350 deaths. Honecker stood trial for crimes against humanity beginning in November of 1992. The trial ended early in January 1993, however, due to Honecker’s failing health. Hedied in Santiago, Chile, of liver cancer in 1994. In his memoir, Moabiter Notizen (Notes from Moabit), he claimed that, “If it were up to me, East Germany would still exist.” During his trial, Honecker credited the Berlin Wall with preventing World War III.

Honecker’s personal archive includes legal correspondence from his defense lawyers regarding the trial and medical records from various doctors outlining his liver cancer. There are detailed reports of the allegations against Honecker, the individuals who filed charges, information about the appeal process, and news articles with Honecker’s handwritten annotations, as well as drafts and notes for Moabiter Notizen. The archive also includes books from Honecker’s library, which are marked with his personal stamp.

The cataloging and digitization of this collection was made possible by the support of Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.

Erich Honecker Papers Finding Aid (PDF)

Showing search results 2-12 of 12

Draft
Drafts (documents); texts (documents)
Maker: Unknown; [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.032
Date Made: [1991/1992]; 1990s

Interview transcript

Interview transcript
Transcripts; interviews; drafts (documents)
Maker: Unknown; [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.033
Date Made: [circa 1991]; 1990s

Notes, circa 1991

Notes, circa 1991
Drafts (documents); notes (documents); photocopies
Maker: Erich Honecker
ID: 2011.900.769.038
Date Made: [1991-10-20]; 1990s

Notes, 5.7.1991 and 20.7.1992

Notes, 5.7.1991 and 20.7.1992
Drafts (documents); notes (documents); photocopies
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.040
Date Made: 1991-07-05; 1992-07-20; 1990s

Notes
Drafts (documents); notes (documents); photocopies
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.042
Date Made: [circa 1991/1992]; 1990s

Untitled
Texts (documents); photocopies
Maker: Unknown; EH
ID: 2011.900.769.044
Date Made: [circa 1991/1992]; 1990s

Notes
Drafts (documents); notes (documents); photocopies
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.045
Date Made: [circa 1991/1992]; 1990s

Notes
Notes (documents)
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.050
Date Made: [circa 1991/1992]; 1990s

Notes, 17.9.1992

Notes, 17.9.1992
Notes (documents)
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.051
Date Made: 1992-09-17; 1990s

Notes
Notes (documents)
Maker: [Erich Honecker]
ID: 2011.900.769.062
Date Made: [circa 1991]; 1990s

Ladung zum Termin am 12. 11. 1992 und FS / Beschluß

Ladung zum Termin am 12. 11. 1992 und FS / Beschluß
Forms (documents); summonses; decisions (judicial records)
Maker: Landgericht Berlin
ID: 2011.900.769.068
Date Made: 1992-10-19; 1990s

Erklärung, 10.12.1992

Erklärung, 10.12.1992
Declarations
Maker: Erich Honecker
ID: 2011.900.769.072
Date Made: 1992-12-10; 1990s

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