Egon Krenz
The East German communist who briefly took power as the Berlin Wall crumbled, becoming a symbol of a regime's final, futile gasp.
Born 1937 (age 89)·Leader of East Germany in 1989·Birthday: March 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Egon Krenz’s life is inextricably tied to the rise and fall of the German Democratic Republic. A true product of the system, he rose through the ranks of the FDJ, the state’s youth organization, becoming a Politburo member and the anointed successor to Erich Honecker. Seen as a potential reformer by some, he was in fact a staunch defender of the party’s authority. His moment came in October 1989, as mass protests swelled; he orchestrated Honecker's removal and assumed power, promising a "turnaround." His tenure lasted just 49 days. His order to open the Berlin Wall on November 9th, intended as a controlled pressure valve, instead unleashed an irreversible tide. He oversaw the end of the SED's monopoly on power but could not control the revolution, resigning in December as the state itself began to dissolve. Later convicted for his role in the shootings of those attempting to flee East Germany, Krenz remains a controversial figure of historical transition.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Egon was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Egon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Egon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Succeeded Erich Honecker as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany in October 1989.
- Played a central role in the decision to open the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989.
- Initiated the "Turn" policy aimed at reforming the GDR government in its final weeks.
Did You Know?
He was the last person to hold the title of Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic.
After German reunification, he was convicted of manslaughter for border killings and served four years in prison.
He published memoirs titled "Herbst ’89" (Autumn '89) and "Wir und die Russen" (We and the Russians).
“I did not open the wall. The wall was opened by the people who took to the streets.”
