Walter Ulbricht. Mein Urgrossvater

A fascinating insight into the life of one of the most controversial men in German history. In this book, Walter Ulbricht's great-grandson pushes open the doors of his family history to reveal long-hidden secrets. Walter Ulbricht is regarded as one of the most important politicians of the divided Germany. As a high-ranking functionary and Chairman of the State Council of the GDR, people revered, ridiculed or hated him. Who was the person behind the politician? The family remained silent for decades, nothing was revealed that was not meant to be. For decades, the family kept an ironclad silence about Walter the private man, husband, father and friend. Curious to find out who his great-grandfather really was, Florian Heyden sets off across Europe in search of clues. He delves deep into Walter's youth, his rise in the KPD and his exile in Moscow. He learns about lovers and adopted children, about intense relationships and painful separations. He tells the story of what drove Walter Ulbricht throughout his life in a vivid and exciting way: the eternal competition between family and party. An unprecedented look at the history of the most powerful man in the GDR, which has been kept secret to this day.