Axel Viehweger

Axel Viehweger (born 27 November 1952) is a German housing cooperative functionary and former politician.

In the German Democratic Republic, he served as Minister for Construction, Urban Development and Housing of the GDR in the cabinet of Lothar de Maizière.

Life and career Early career Viehweger attended the Extended Secondary School (EOS) and completed his high school diploma.

From 1973 to 1978, he studied Energy Engineering and Nuclear Physics at the Dresden University of Technology, which he completed a with a degree in physics (Dipl.-Phys.). He then worked at the university's Institute of Energetics, from 1984 to 1985 as a research associate. He obtained his doctorate (Dr.-Ing.) in 1985 on the topic "A Contribution to Determining 'Favorable' Hydraulic Operating Regimes for Hot Water District Heating Networks in Emergency Conditions or Planned Shutdowns".

Bloc party politician Viehweger joined the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD), an East German bloc party beholden to the ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED), in 1970. Despite the BFD leaving the government coalition in July 1990, Viehweger remained minister. Of the approximately 4,500 employees, almost 90% were laid off or outsourced to other institutions. as well as the recommendation for immediate resignation. As a city councilor in Dresden, he is said to have maintained contacts with the Stasi. Viehweger admitted this, but denied having signed an IM declaration and passing on documents.

On 4 November 1991, Viehweger was expelled from the parliamentary group. Subsequently, he resigned from the FDP and remained a member of the state parliament as an independent member for the rest of the legislative period ending in 1994.

Already during the legislative period, Viehweger began working in various positions in the housing industry. From 2000 to 2002 he was head of the Central and Eastern Europe working group of CECODHAS (Association of the European Social Housing Industry). From 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2019, Viehweger was director and board member of the Association of Saxon Housing Cooperatives. He currently lives in Berlin-Wilhelmsruh.