Franz Rydz

Franz Rydz (27 May 1927 – 20 November 1989) was a high-ranking East German sports official and party functionary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED).

Franz Rydz
Rydz (left of center) in 1977
Head of the Sports Sector in the Security Affairs Department of the Central Committee of the SED[a]
In office January 1953 – 20 May 1959
Secretary	Erich Honecker Paul Verner
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Rudolf Hellmann
Personal details
Born	Franz Rydz (1927-05-27)27 May 1927 Salsitz, Province of Saxony, Free State of Prussia, Weimar Republic (now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany)
Died	20 November 1989(1989-11-20) (aged 62) Kienbaum, Bezirk Frankfurt (Oder), East Germany
Cause of death	Suicide by firearm
Political party	Socialist Unity Party
Alma mater	"Karl Marx" Party Academy
Occupation	Sports Official Party Functionary
Awards	Patriotic Order of Merit, 1st class Banner of Labor
Central institution membership 1959–1976: Member, FDJ Central Council Other offices held 1970–1989: Treasurer, National Olympic Committee of the German Democratic Republic 1961–1989: Vice President, Deutscher Fußball-Verband der DDR 1966–1989: Vice President, Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund

Rydz started his career in the SED apparatus, later serving as a high-ranking official in several East German sports organizations, including as vice president of the German Gymnastics and Sports Federation and the German Football Association of the German Democratic Republic.

Early on during the Peaceful Revolution, Rydz shot himself.

Life and career

Early career

Rydz was born in 1927 in Salsitz.^[1][2]

Sports official

After the establishment of the German Democratic Republic, he served as chairman of the State Sports Committee of Saxony-Anhalt from 1950 to 1952.^[2]

After attending the SED's "Karl Marx" Party Academy,^[1][2] he joined the apparatus of the Central Committee of the SED as head of the Youth and Sports Sector in the LOPMO Department in 1953, reorganized as Sports Sector in the Security Affairs Department in August 1955.^[3] This made him the highest-ranking party official for sports at the time.^[3][4]

In May 1959,^[5] he was transferred to the German Gymnastics and Sports Federation (German: Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund) (DTSB), the recently created mass organization for all East German sports. He initially joined the DTSB as secretary, being promoted to vice president with responsibility for finance in 1966.^[1][2][6] Additionally, he was a member of the Central Council of the Free German Youth from 1959 to 1976.^[2]

Furthermore, he was vice president of the German Football Association of the German Democratic Republic starting in 1961 and, from 1970, treasurer of the Presidium of the National Olympic Committee of the German Democratic Republic.^[1][2]

Among the leading East German sports officials, Rydz was more open towards what the SED deemed "commercialization", culminating in him signing an advertising contract with West German sports apparel company adidas in May 1982 as DTSB vice president.^[7] Rydz had already been accused of repeatedly having been to West Germany to buy shoes for top GDR athletes in 1970.^[8]

In the early 1970s, Rydz unsuccessfully tried to pressure East Germany national football team member Jürgen Croy to transfer from his club BSG Sachsenring Zwickau to a more prominent club.^[9]

Rydz was awarded the Patriotic Order of Merit in Bronze in 1955, in Silver in 1969 and in Gold in 1977, as well as the Banner of Labor in 1973.^[2]

Death

Early on during the Peaceful Revolution, Rydz destroyed documents and on 20 November 1989, he shot himself.^{[1][2][10][11][12]} After his death 291,000 West German marks in cash were found in his East Berlin office.^[1][10][12] The cash is said to have been used to buy sports equipment and medicines in the West, among other things.^[12] Rydz was one of several mid-level SED functionaries to commit suicide during the Peaceful Revolution.^[13]

After German reunification, many high-ranking East German sports officials were convicted for their involvement in the mass doping of East German athletes.^[1][14]