Erich Honecker – here shown clearing rubble at the start of the 1950s – becomes SED General Secretary in May 1971 (Photo: Polizeihistorische Sammlung/Der Polizeipräsident in Berlin)
With the Moscow’s consent, Walter Ulbricht is ousted in East Berlin; officially, the removal from office occurs at Ulbricht’s wish for reasons of age. Erich Honecker becomes his successor as SED General Secretary and chairman of the National Council of Defence.
On 18 May Honecker gives a report in Moscow. He assures Brezhnev "that we remain solidly in the position of complete class dissociation from the imperialist Federal Republic of Germany, just as we agreed." Economically, Honecker says, the SED will pursue the course of independence from West Germany so that no political reliance arises.less
