Ernst Goldenbaum

Ernst Goldenbaum (15 December 1898, Parchim – 13 March 1990, East Berlin) was a German politician who served as the chairman of the Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany from 1948 to 1982.^[1]

Ernst Goldenbaum
Goldenbaum and members of the Volkspolizei near the Berlin Wall, 1961
Chairman of the Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany
In office 1948–1982
Preceded by	office established
Succeeded by	Ernst Mecklenburg
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (East Germany)
In office 1949–1950
Preceded by	office established
Succeeded by	Paul Scholz
Member of the Volkskammer
In office 1949–1990
Mayor of Parchim
In office 1945–1945
Preceded by	Rudolf Prestien
Succeeded by	Otto Schmidt
Member of the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
In office 1924–1932
Personal details
Born	(1898-12-15)December 15, 1898 Parchim, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Empire
Died	March 13, 1990(1990-03-13) (aged 91) East Berlin, East Germany (now Berlin, Germany)
Political party	Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany (1948–1990) Socialist Unity Party of Germany (1946–1948) Communist Party of Germany (1920–1946) Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (1919–1920)
Spouse(s)	Käte Goldenbaum Margarete Goldenbaum [de] (1925-1951)
Children	Klaus Goldenbaum [de] Ursula Goldenbaum [de]
Awards	Order of Karl Marx (1973) Star of People's Friendship (1969) Hero of Labour (1968) Patriotic Order of Merit, honor clasp (1965) Banner of Labor (1964) Medal for Fighters Against Fascism (1959) Patriotic Order of Merit, in gold (1958) Patriotic Order of Merit, in silver (1955) German Peace Medal [de] (1955)
Military service
Allegiance	German Empire
Branch/service	Imperial German Army
Years of service	1917-1918
Unit	89th Grenadier Regiment [de]
Battles/wars	First World War Western Front (WIA)

Biography

Goldenbaum was born in Parchim, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. During World War I, he served in the Imperial German Army and he participated in the German November Revolution. In 1919, he joined the left-wing USPD and a few years later the Communist Party of Germany.

From 1923 to 1925, he was a member of the city council of Parchim, and from 1924 to 1932 he was a member of the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. From 1932 to 1933, he was the editor of Volkswacht, a communist newspaper. After the Nazis seized power, he became a farmer and a member of the German resistance.

In 1944, he was arrested and he spent the last year of the war in Neuengamme concentration camp. In 1945, he was one of very few who survived the sinking of the SS Cap Arcona which claimed over 4000 lives.

After the war, he joined the Socialist Unity Party (SED), but in 1948, he co-founded the communist-sponsored Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany (DBD). The DBD was a close ally of the SED as a bloc party or a satellite party. Until 1982, Goldenbaum was the chairman of the party.

From 1949 to 1990 Goldenbaum was a member of the People's Chamber (Volkskammer). From 1949 to 1950, Goldenbaum was East Germany's first Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. Goldenbaum supported the SED's collectivisation in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1950 to 1963, he was the deputy chairman of the People's Chamber. After 1963, he was a member of the Presidium of the People's Chamber.