Christa Wolf
born 18 März 1929 Landsberg/WartheStudied German language and literature in Jena and Leipzig; in 1949 joined the Socialist Unity Party (SED), left it in 1989; reader and editor at various publishing houses in East Berlin and Halle; her novel "Der geteilte Himmel" (Divided Heaven) was published in 1962 to critical acclaim; freelance author; member of the Academy of Arts; in 1976 co-signatory of the declaration against song writer Wolf Biermann's deportation; as of 1978 lecture tours in the USA, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany; recorded by the the Ministry for State Security (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit) as unofficial member "Margarethe" between 1976-1962, very actively engaged during the time of the fall of the Wall (demonstration on 4th November), appeal on East German television "We need you" (8th November); co-operation with the investigation committee on the police infringement on 7th and 8th October 1989; in 1990 withdrawal from the political scene.
