Manfred Uschner

Manfred Uschner (16 May 1937 – 13 November 2007) was an East German diplomat and party functionary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED).

Born to a family with a long-standing social democratic tradition, Uschner joined the SED and worked as a diplomat and lecturer in East Germany. He thereafter served as an employee in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the SED for over twenty years, including fifteen years as personal assistant to Hermann Axen, Politburo member and Secretary of the Central Committee responsible for foreign affairs.

In the 1980s, Uschner held close contacts with many politicians of the West German SPD. On the orders of Erich Honecker, he was purged from the Central Committee apparatus on the eve of the Peaceful Revolution for this and for being critical of the SED's leadership. He finally joined the SPD in reunified Germany, also publishing books critical of the SED. Provided by Wikipedia