Walter Halbritter

Walter Halbritter (17 November 1927 – 11 April 2003) was a German civil servant, politician and party functionary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED).

In the German Democratic Republic, he served as the longtime head of the Office for Prices at the Council of Ministers of the GDR and was a member of the Central Committee of the SED. Additionally, from 1967 to October 1973, he was a candidate member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED.

Life and career Born into a family of agricultural workers on 17 November 1927, in Hoym, Halbritter attended primary school from 1934 to 1942 and underwent administrative training from 1942 to 1944. In 1944, he was conscripted into the Wehrmacht and spent time as prisoner of war in British captivity from May to December 1945.

Upon his return, he worked as a farm laborer and joined the ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED) in 1946, and the Free German Youth (FDJ) in 1948. He worked at the Ballenstedt district administration until 1951, afterwards studying at the German Administrative Academy in Forst Zinna, de facto a cadre factory of the SED, until 1954. He subsequently served as head of the Budget Department of the GDR's Ministry of Finance. Office for Prices at the Council of Ministers of the GDR, holding ministerial rank. Additionally, from November 1967 to 1989, he was a member of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers.

Halbritter was awarded the Banner of Labor in 1963 and 1969, the Patriotic Order of Merit in 1977 and 1987 (honor clasp), and the Martial Order “For Services to the People and Fatherland” in 1984.

In this role, he was tasked with preparing talks at the Central Round Table, as well as serving as a liaison to the Office for National Security and the Dissolution Committee of the Ministry for State Security.

Death Halbritter died in 2003 at the age of 75. He was buried in the cemetery in Seelow.