Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski facts for kids
Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski (born 3 July 1932 – died 21 June 2015) was an important person in the government and trade of East Germany. He worked in the Ministry for Foreign Trade and later became the head of a special organization called Kommerzielle Koordinierung (KoKo). KoKo was very important for East Germany's economy.
Early Life and Beginnings
Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski was born in Berlin. When he was eight years old, he was adopted by the Schalck family.
He joined the Free German Youth in 1951. This was a youth organization in East Germany. In 1955, he became a member of the main political party, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).
Working in East Germany
In 1966, Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski was chosen to lead KoKo. At first, KoKo was a new part of the Ministry for Foreign Trade. Later, it became a powerful and independent government agency. He also worked as a special officer for the Stasi, which was East Germany's state security service.
One important thing he did was in 1983. He helped talk with leaders from Bavaria in West Germany. These talks helped East Germany get a large loan of money. This loan was very important for East Germany's economy.
In 1986, he joined the central committee of the SED, which was a very high position in the party. When big changes happened in East Germany in December 1989, he moved to West Berlin. He was held for a short time before he settled in Bavaria.
After Germany Reunited
After Germany became one country again, people looked closely at how KoKo had worked. They also looked at Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski's actions. There were investigations into some of the things KoKo did.
In 1996, he faced some legal issues related to his work. He had to follow certain rules for a period of time. Other issues were not pursued because he was not well. He had operations for cancer in 1987 and 1997.
He was married two times and had two children.
See also
In Spanish: Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski para niños
