Nomenklatura

The term nomenklatura referred to in socialist countries on the one hand a list of all leadership positions in the party, administration, economy and society. This directory is an instrument of long-term human resource planning in the context of typical communist regimes cadre policy. On the other hand, referred to the term nomenklatura also the whole of the persons who occupied these important leadership positions, so the elites.

Origin of the word

As the term nomenclature nomenclature is of Latin origin: Both terms come from nomenclatura ( nomen = name, clamare = summon ) from and refer to a list of names. While nomenclature is but borrowed directly from Latin and is used in language use for name and term lists of all sorts, to the nomenclature derives from the Russian номенклатура. In the West German parlance nomenklatura was used exclusively in the direct or figuratively names for directories party political cadres. In the GDR, it was uncommon.

Nomenklatura - the privileged class

The terms " nomenklatura " ( as the totality of officials ) or " nomenclature cadres" are taken from the language of the SED for leaders of all kinds, the name suggests that leadership and influence positions were filled only with people than in the corresponding nomenclature linientreu and party were found listed.

Such privileged groups are not an invention of actually existing socialism, but thrived particularly well in this social formation. Even Leon Trotsky said in 1930 in the asylum from the fact that it is in Russia a "new bourgeoisie " are ( in: "The real situation in Russia " 1930), and Milovan Djilas, the perversion of the idea of ​​equality in Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito with his book " The New Class " ( German 1958) erected a monument. After the collapse of the GDR, the full extent of the new class society and the police state spy system, it became clear this finely woven blend of privileges and fear of bought for money, and forced consent. The demise of the socialist states of Eastern Europe was not least a result of this blatant contradiction between ideology and reality, of the fundamental rights granted on paper and subjective powerlessness of ordinary citizens.

As a result of socialist class society, the term " nomenklatura " was increasingly a bitter, negative undertone and then stood for apparatchik and bigwigs state. Since the end of communist dictatorships in the use of language is largely confined to this meaning.

Nomenklatura by State

Soviet Union

The term stands for the leading cadres of the Soviet Union. The nomenklatura consisted exclusively of CPSU members who were working up a certain "mean" influence or line level to. She was the elite of the Soviet Union, without exception, all regions of the country and its population reigned absolute over in principle.

German Democratic Republic

The various SED guides ( Politburo, Central Committee, District lines, etc.) and the ministries of the GDR created a system of nomenclature cadres on the Soviet model, which were filled with line-toeing the party discipline particularly devoted, particularly trained ( Party School ) party members. There was a precise nomenclature squad Regulation, in the important leadership positions (several hundred) were detected in the GDR. Before his appointment to such a position ( first secretaries of the SED district and regional lines, Directors-General of the combines, ministers, state secretaries, principals, directors of important institutions, leaders in the media, etc.) these staff template had only by the Central Committee of the SED, that is, the relevant department of the Central Committee, formally confirmed. The aim was to achieve the best possible control of public life. In such a system the management positions were filled with a few exceptions only of linear loyal SED members. To obtain a position as a socialist leader, the nomenclature Squad candidate had previously prove in child management functions as appropriate and to prove themselves politically. In addition, in later years, " Employee Development Plan" was for such positions, according to the establishment plan, correctly, a university degree (preferably with PhD) essential supplemented by visiting the management level relevant party school, as provincial Party school and / or Party School of the SED. Since the 1970s grew out of the families of the original nomenclature squad and more often outright nomenclature Squad " dynasties ". In 1983, the electronic "Central squad data storage " ( ZKDS ) was performed at the Council of Ministers of the GDR.

Members of the nomenklatura

The nomenklatura in the GDR was composed as follows:

• The innermost circle of top officials ( about 30 people) were among the members and candidates of the SED Politburo.
• The inner circle of the nomenklatura about 500-600 people are expected.
• Including all senior, middle and lower functionaries of the SED, block parties, mass organizations, government institutions, culture and economy included the nomenclature according to some information about 250 000 people, according to other information about 339,000 people.

Positions belonging to the nomenklatura, were, among others:

• All full-time employees of the SED except office and staff, all full-time and volunteer staff of SED institutes and institutions except office and staff
• All members of the central boards of the other bloc parties CDU, LDPD NDPD, Peasant Party (DBD ); all members of their district board members, the full-time employees of these parties except office and staff, all full-time and volunteer staff from institutes and institutions of these parties except office and staff
• All members of the central board members of mass organizations such as fdgb, FDJ, DSF, DFD, GST, etc., all members of the district boards of DDR mass organizations, the full-time employees of these mass organizations except office and staff, all full-time and volunteer staff from institutes and institutions the GDR mass organizations except office and staff
• All members of the People's Chamber, the district days, all senior full-time employee of the People's Chamber and the district days
• All members of the Council of State, Council of Ministers of the GDR and the councils of the districts; all senior staff of the State Council, the Council of Ministers, ministries, councils of districts, the senior staff from institutes and institutions of the State Council, the Council of Ministers and the ministries
• All full-time employees of the MfS except office and staff, the important volunteer staff of the Stasi, all senior staff of the People's Police in officer's rank (from Major upwards), all senior full-time and volunteer staff of the fighting groups of the working class in the rank of officer, all officers of the NVA in major rank or higher
• The entire senior staff of universities, colleges, institutes and educational institutions, senior staff in the school system (from Headmaster upwards), the senior staff in the health
• All operating directors and the senior staff of large companies
• All who held senior positions in professional and similar organizations
• All who have been honored with prestigious awards.