Zaisser

Zaisser was the surname of Wilhelm Zaisser (1893-1958), a German communist politician and intelligence officer. He is primarily known for his role as the first head of the Ministry for State Security (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit), commonly known as the Stasi, in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1950 to 1953.

Zaisser had a long history of involvement in communist activities, beginning with his participation in the Spartacus League during World War I. He later joined the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and served in the Comintern, holding various positions in Moscow and China during the 1920s and 1930s. During the Spanish Civil War, he was known as "General Gómez" and commanded Republican forces.

After World War II, Zaisser returned to Germany and became a leading figure in the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), the ruling party of East Germany. His appointment as Minister of State Security cemented his power within the East German regime. Under his leadership, the Stasi expanded its surveillance apparatus and became a powerful tool for suppressing dissent and maintaining control.

However, Zaisser's tenure as head of the Stasi was relatively short-lived. He was dismissed from his post in 1953 in the aftermath of the June 17th uprising, a series of protests against the SED regime. He was subsequently expelled from the SED and effectively sidelined from political life. He died in 1958.