Winzer, Otto

Winzer, Otto ôˈtō vĭntsˈər [key], 1902–75, East German political leader. A member of the German Communist party from 1925, he left Germany in 1935 during the Hitler era and returned after World War II. He became (1945) a member of the East German Socialist Unity (Communist) party and joined its central committee in 1946. Winzer served as secretary of state (1949–56) and first deputy minister of foreign affairs (1956–65) before becoming foreign minister. In the last position he participated in the negotiations that resulted in the 1970 nonaggression treaty between East and West Germany.

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