Voting Station

Walter Ulbricht

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World Leader

The Resume

    (June 30, 1893-August 1, 1973)
    Born in Leipzig, Germany
    Joined the Central Committee of the German Communist party (1923)
    Head of state of East Germany (1950-71)

Why he might be annoying:

    He deserted from the German army during World War I.
    He rose through the Communist ranks largely by denouncing rivals for being insufficiently loyal to the Soviet Union.
    As a protege of Joseph Stalin, his position was in jeopardy following Stalin's death.
    Ironically, he was saved by an anti-Communist uprising (June 17, 1953), as the Soviet leadership decided removing Ulbricht would look like a sign of weakness.
    He ordered the erection of the Berlin Wall two months after declaring, 'Nobody has the intention of building a wall.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He and his wife adopted a daughter.
    When Stalinist industrialization failed to produce economic growth, he implemented a 'New Economic System' to decentralize planning and improve efficiency.
    He was forced to resign, with poor health being given as the reason, following repeated clashes with Leonid Brezhnev.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 119 Votes: 53.78% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 23 Votes: 13.04% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 34 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 146 Votes: 62.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 26 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 21 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 20 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 79.17% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying