'Du und deine Elite!': Leitungskader im Elektroniksektor der DDR-Industrie zwischen fachlicher Qualifikation und politischer Loyalität

Abstract

This article summarises an in-depth-analysis of the qualification level, political loyalty, and careers of 4.451 higher executives in the electronic industry of the GDR. Data were taken from the ZKDS, the Central Cadre Data base of the Council of Ministers. Electronic industry was one of the few high-tech sectors of GDR economy. Thus, its development was a matter of pres tige for the SED. In order to overcome blatant backward ness, the sector received enormous subsidies. Productivity was to be measured with regard to the world market. It is argued that conflicts between technocracy and the claims of party rule were likely to become more obvious in electronic industry than in many other sectors. The question is raised to what degree recruitment and career patterns of the execu tive personnel were biased by that. Data reveal a high level of formal qualification but also an extraordinary amount of political loyalty (e.g., cf. percent age of SED members). It is shown that - even in electronic industry as a relatively modern and competitive sector of GDR economy - criteria of professionalism were second to political criteria in personnel recruitment and development.