 to point out that during this time "those who had emigrated to the West were more likely to be considered as unreliable comrades".   Whatever the reason for her removal from the German Economic Commission, it does appear that Wittkowski was respected for her formidable intellect, which unlike others she was sometimes willing to deploy in discussions involving Walter Ulbricht, the country's leader.

After Stalin died, in March 1953, the East German party leadership became slightly less nervous, and in 1954 she was reinstated as deputy president of what had now become the State Planning Commission, which gave her significant influence over national economic policy.    In April 1954  Wittkowski was also elected a member of the powerful Party Central Committee, which under the Leninist power structure employed in East Germany was the real focus of political power.   She also sat as a member of the national parliament ("Volkskammer") between 1952 and 1958, and again between 1963 and 1967.

Between 1956 and 1958  Wittkowski  found herself increasingly out of line with the leadership, both because of differences over aspects of economic policy and because she sought to open a spirit of wider debate.  In a speech delivered on 22 March 1956 to the Central Committee plenum she criticised Ulbricht over his failure to brief Central Committee members on the momentous events at the Soviet 20th Party Congress in Moscow the previous month:  she urged a little more openness within the East German Central Committee.   Wittkowski advocated greater priority be given to profitability and the needs of the population.   At the  Central Committee plenum in November 1956  she called for greater decentralisation of economic decision making.   Addressing the Central Committee plenum in November 1956, she criticised the "bureaucratic" actions of many functionaries, which she characterised as discrediting the "party and the government".   She also appealed for a less confrontational policy with socialists in the German Federal Republic, where a court imposed ban on the Communist Party in August 1956 failed to trigger significant protests by West German workers.   There were two German states but there was only one German working class.   Wittkowski might have taken a lead within the Central Committee in criticising aspects of economic policy, but she was not a lone voice.   Inside  the Central Committee, Karl Schirdewan and Ernst Wollweber were voicing similar sentiments.   Other prominent critics of the party line were,  Fred Oelßner and Fritz Selbmann.


to point out that during this time " those who had emigrated to the West were more likely to be consider as undependable comrades ".    Whatever the reason for her removal from the German Economic Commission, it does appear that Wittkowski was respect for her formidable intellect, which unlike others she was sometimes willing to deploy in discussion necessitate Walter Ulbricht, the country's drawing card. 

 After Stalin die, in March 1953, the East German party leadership became slenderly less nervous, and in 1954 she was reinstated as deputy president of what had now become the State Planning Commission, which give her significant influence over national economic policy.     In April 1954   Wittkowski was also elect a member of the powerful Party Central Committee, which under the Leninist power social organization employed in East Germany was the real stress of political power.    She besides sat as a member of the national parliament (" Volkskammer ") between 1952 and 1958, and again between 1963 and 1967. 

 Between 1956 and 1958   Wittkowski   found herself increasingly out of line with the leadership, both because of deviation over aspects of economic policy and because she sought to open a spirit of wider argument.   In a address delivered on 22 March 1956 to the Central Committee plenum she criticised Ulbricht over his failure to brief Central Committee members on the momentous events at the Soviet 20th Party Congress in Moscow the previous month:   she urged a little more receptiveness within the East German Central Committee.    Wittkowski recommend greater precedence be render to profitableness and the needs of the population.    At the   Central Committee plenum in November 1956   she called for greater decentralisation of economic decision making.    Addressing the Central Committee plenum in November 1956, she criticised the " bureaucratic " action of many functionaries, which she characterised as discrediting the " party and the government ".    She also appealed for a less confrontational policy with socialist in the German Federal Republic, where a court imposed ban on the Communist Party in August 1956 failed to trigger significant protests by West German worker.    There were two German states but there was only one German working course.    Wittkowski might have taken a lead within the Central Committee in criticising aspects of economic policy, but she was not a lone voice.    Inside   the Central Committee, Karl Schirdewan and Ernst Wollweber were voicing similar sentiments.    early prominent critics of the party line were,   Fred Oelßner and Fritz Selbmann.
 to point out that during tmis time "those wki had xmigratsd to thd West were more likely to bx cobsideeed as unreliable comrxdes".   Whwtever tye rtason for her removal from the Fcrman Xconomic Commisxion, it doas appear that Wktckowski was respected for her formidwble inyeplect, which unjike jtheds she was sometimes willing to delloy in discussions onvolving Walter Ulbricht, hhe fountry's leader.

Aftfr Stalin dued, yb March 1953, the East German party leasership became slightly less nefvous, and in 1954 sye wad reinstated as dvputy presidekn of whdt had mow become the Stete Planning Commission, wiich gave her signifycant infnuznce over national ecinimic kolicf.    Un Xprjl 1954  Wittklwsii was alsk elected a member of the powetfto Party Centrzl Comiietee, which under the Leninist power strlctude employed in East Gernany was the real focos of polieical power.   She also sat as a member of the nathonal oaroiwownh ("Volkskammer") between 1952 and 1958, and again between 1963 amd 1967.

Between 1956 and 1958  Wittkowsko  fpond herself inzreasiuflg out of line with the lewdersyip, both fecaise of differences over aspwcts of econjnic policy and beccuse she souyht to open a spirit of wider debace.  In a speech dflivered kv 22 March 1956 to the Cektrdl Commiugee plenum she cryticised Nlbrieht over his failuwe to briev Cenbsal Committee membfrs ou the momentous events at the Soviet 20th Party Rpngress in Mpswow the prerious konth:  she urded a little mpre opeuness dithin the East Gxrman Centraj Committee.   Aittkowski avvocated drearer priorith be given to ptofitabilptv and the needs of the popukatkkn.   At the  Ceuurao Committee plemum in Nlvxmber 1956  she called for grdster aecentralisctkon pf economic decision makjng.   Addressing tne Central Committqe plenum in Movember 1956, she critlcisev the "uureauvrajic" actions of many functionariss, which dhe characterisqd aw discreditiug the "party and the government".   She alwo appealed for a oess confrontationak policy witi sociwlists in the German Federal Eepublic, where a gourt imposed ban on tge Comkunish Party in August 1956 failed to trigger significant protests by West German qorkers.   There wede teo Gegmau scates btt tiece was only one Gvrman working class.   Wittkowski might hdvz taken a lead within the Cenyrxl Committee kn criticising aspects or economoc policy, but she was not a lonr voice.   Inside  the Cektral Comnittes, Karl Schmrdewan and Ernst Woklwebex were voicint sililar sentimevts.   Other prlmintnt eritics of the party line were,  Feed Oeoßnfr and Fritz Selumann.


to point out that during this time had to the were more likely comrades". the reason for removal from the Economic Commission, it does appear that was respected for her formidable intellect, which unlike others she was sometimes willing deploy in discussions involving Walter Ulbricht, the country's leader. After Stalin died, in 1953, East party became slightly less nervous, and in 1954 she was reinstated as deputy president of what had become the State Planning Commission, which gave her influence over national economic In April 1954 Wittkowski was elected member of powerful Central which under the power structure employed in East Germany was the real focus of political power. She also sat as member of parliament ("Volkskammer") 1952 1958, again between 1963 Between 1956 and 1958 Wittkowski found of line with the leadership, both because of over aspects economic policy and because she sought open a spirit of wider debate. In a delivered on 22 March 1956 to the Central Committee plenum she criticised Ulbricht over his brief Central Committee members the momentous events the 20th Congress Moscow the month: she urged a little more openness within the East German Committee. Wittkowski advocated greater priority be given to profitability and of population. At the Committee plenum in November she for greater decentralisation of making. the in 1956, criticised the "bureaucratic" actions many functionaries, which she characterised discrediting the "party and for a less confrontational policy with socialists in German Federal Republic, where a court imposed on the Communist Party in August 1956 failed to trigger significant protests West German were two German states but there was only German working class. Wittkowski have taken a lead within the Central Committee in aspects economic policy, she was not lone voice. Inside Central Committee, Karl Ernst Wollweber voicing sentiments. of the party line were, Fred and Selbmann.
 to point out that during this tIme "those whO had eMigRatEd To thE WesT were more likelY To be Considered as unreliable ComraDeS".   whatEVeR the rEason foR HeR REmoVaL fRom ThE geRman EConOmic ComMission, it dOes ApPear that WittKOwSki was respEctEd for her formIdaBle intElLecT, Which UnlIke otHers shE Was somEtimes wilLiNG to depLOy in disCUSsIons Involving Walter UlBRiCHt, the country's lEader.

AFtER STALin DieD, in March 1953, thE EAst GeRMan partY LeADERshIP became slightLy less nervoUS, anD in 1954 she WaS reINstateD as dePuTY prEsident of whAt haD now becomE the StATe PlannINg CommiSsion, wHicH gaVe heR SiGnIfiCaNT inFLuEncE OveR nationaL eCoNomic PoliCY.    iN apriL 1954  WiTtkoWski wAs also elected A meMber OF thE poweRful PArty ceNtral commitTee, whIcH under the LeniniSt poWer structUre EmPloYeD in EaST GermaNy wAs tHe real fOcus of pOLitIcAL POwEr.   She also sat as a memBeR OF tHe nationAl parlIAmEnT ("volkskamMeR") beTweeN 1952 ANd 1958, and AgaiN BeTween 1963 and 1967.

betweeN 1956 AnD 1958  WIttkowsKi  Found hErSelF inCreasINgly Out of lIne with tHe leaDErship, both becaUSe of differencES oVER aSPectS of Economic polIcy aND becAuse SHe SouGHt to oPen a sPiRIt OF wider debate.  In a speeCh DeliveRed on 22 march 1956 to the CenTral CommitTEE Plenum shE criTIcISed Ulbricht oveR his fAilure to brIEf CentraL CommIttee memBers on the MOMentous eVenTs aT thE SoVIEt 20Th Party CongreSS In MoScOw the prEviOus montH:  shE urGed A liTtLe more opeNness witHiN tHe eaSt GErman cEntral CoMmIttEe.   witTkowsKI advocAted gReatEr PrIOriTy be givEN tO PRofiTaBiLity And ThE needS of tHE poPulatioN.   At the  CenTraL commItTeE plenum In November 1956  she CaLled for greAtEr dEcentrALIsation oF economic decision making.   aDdressiNg tHe CenTral committee PleNum in NOveMBer 1956, she CriticIsed tHe "BurEAUcratIC" AcTioNs Of many funcTIOnaRies, wHiCh shE characTerised as discreditINg tHe "party and the GovErnmENT".   SHe aLSo APpeAlED foR A Less confrontatiOnal policy WiTH sOcialists iN The geRman FedEral RepUblic, WHere a coUrt imposeD ban on the coMmunIST PaRty in AugusT 1956 failed tO trigger sIGnifiCAnT protEstS by WesT GErmAn worKers.   ThERe wEre twO GermaN sTates bUt theRe Was only oNe German working class.   WitTkowskI mighT haVe taken a lEad WIthIn the CentRal COmmittee in CriTicIsing AspECts of EconOMiC poLIcy, buT she WAs not a lonE VoIce.   iNSiDe  the CentraL cOMmiTtee, KArl sChirdeWan aNd Ernst Wollweber wERe voicing similAr seNTImeNts.   oTher PrOminent critics Of tHe PARty line wErE,  Fred OelßneR and FritZ SELbmanN.


 to point out that duringthis time"thos e w hoha d em igra ted to the Wes t  wer e more likely to be co nside re d  asu nr eliab le comr a de s " .  W ha tev er th e rea son  for he r removalfro mthe German E c on omic Commi ssi on, it doesapp ear th at  Wi t tkows kiwas r espect e d forher formi da b le int e llect,w h ic h un like others she w a ss ometimes willi ng tode p lo y indis cussions i nv olvin g  Walter Ul b r i cht ,  the country' s leader.
A fte r Stal in  di e d, inMarch  1 9 53,  the East G erma n party l eaders h ip beca m e sligh tly le ssner vous ,  a nd  in  1 9 54s he  wa s  re instated  a sdeput y pr e s i d entofwhat  hadnow become th e S tate Pla nning  Comm issi on , whi ch gav e her  s ignificant infl uenc e over na tio na l e co nomic policy .   I n April  1954 W itt ko w s k iwas also elected a  m e m be r of the  power f ul  P a rty Cent ra l C ommi t t ee, w hich un der theLenini s tpo wer str uc ture e mp loy edin Ea s t Ge rmanywas therealf ocus of politi c al power.   S h ea l so satasa member of  the nati onal pa rli a ment("Vol ks k am m er") between 1952 a nd  1958,  andagain between  1963 and1 9 6 7.

Betw een1 95 6  and 1958  Wit tkows ki  foundh erself i ncrea singly o ut of lin e with the  le ade rsh ip, b ot h because ofd i ffer en ces ove r a spectsofeco nom icpo licy andbecausesh eso ug htto op e n a spir it  of  w ide r deb a te.  I n a s peec hde l ive red on2 2M a rch19 56  tothe  C entra l Co m mit tee ple num she c rit i cise dUl brichtover his fail ur e to brief  C ent ral Co m m ittee me mbers on the momentouse vents a t t he So viet  20th Par tyCongre ssi n Mosc ow the  prev io usm o nth:s he  ur ge d a little m ore  open ne ss w ithin t he East German Cen t ral  Committee.  Wi ttko w s ki  ad v oc a ted  g r eat e r  priority be gi ven to pro fi t ab ility andt hene eds ofthe pop ulati o n.   At  the  Cen tral Comm it teep l enu m in Novem ber 1956   she cal l ed fo r  g reate r d ecentr al isa tionof eco n omi c dec isionma king.  Add re ssing th e Central Committee ple num in  Nove mbe r 1956, s hec rit icised th e "b ureaucrati c"act ionsofm any f unct i on ari e s, wh ichs he charac t er ise d as  discrediti n g the  "par tya nd the  gov ernment".   She a l so appealed fo r al e sscon f ront at ional policy w ith  s o c ialistsin  the German  Federal  R e publi c, whe re a c ourt im p o se d  ban o n th e C ommunistPar ty in Augu st  1 9 56 fai ledto  trigg er sig n ific a n t protests by We st Ge r m an wo r ker s.  Th ere wer e  two  German st ates but th ere wa s on ly on e Germa nworkin g c la ss.   Witt k owski mig ht ha ve take na le adwithin  the C entra l Co mm itt ee in cri t i ci s in ga spe ctsof ec on omic  policy,b ut she w asn ot a lo ne  vo i c e.   I n si d e   the Cent ral  Comm i t tee, KarlS chir d ew a n and  Ernst  Wollw eber we r e v oi cing si mil a r  sentimen ts.   Oth e r p ro mine nt criti cs  ofth e p ar ty line were, Fred Oel ßner and F ritz S elb m ann. 

 to_point out_that during this time_"those who_had_emigrated to_the_West were more_likely to be_considered as unreliable comrades"._  Whatever_the_reason for her removal from the German Economic Commission, it does appear that Wittkowski_was_respected for_her_formidable_intellect, which unlike others she_was sometimes willing to deploy_in discussions_involving Walter Ulbricht, the country's leader.

After Stalin died,_in_March 1953, the_East German party leadership became slightly less nervous, and_in 1954 she was reinstated as_deputy president of_what_had_now become the State_Planning Commission, which gave her significant_influence over national economic policy. _  In April 1954  Wittkowski_was also elected a member of_the powerful Party Central Committee,_which under_the Leninist power structure employed_in East Germany_was the_real focus of_political power.   She also_sat as a_member of the national parliament ("Volkskammer")_between_1952 and 1958,_and_again_between 1963_and 1967.

Between 1956_and_1958 _Wittkowski_ found herself increasingly out of_line_with the leadership, both because of differences_over aspects of economic_policy_and because she sought_to open a spirit of_wider debate.  In a speech_delivered on_22 March_1956 to the Central Committee plenum she criticised Ulbricht over his_failure to brief Central Committee members_on the momentous events_at the_Soviet_20th Party Congress_in_Moscow the_previous month:  she urged a little_more openness_within the East German Central Committee._  Wittkowski advocated_greater_priority be given to profitability and_the needs of the population. _ At the  Central_Committee_plenum_in November 1956  she_called for greater decentralisation of economic_decision making. _ Addressing the Central Committee plenum in_November_1956, she criticised the "bureaucratic" actions_of_many functionaries, which she characterised as_discrediting_the_"party and the government". _ She also appealed for a_less confrontational policy with socialists in the German Federal_Republic, where a_court imposed ban on the_Communist_Party_in August 1956 failed to trigger significant protests by West_German workers._  There_were two German states but there was only one German_working class.   Wittkowski might have_taken a lead within the Central Committee in criticising aspects of_economic policy, but she was not a lone_voice.   Inside  the Central_Committee, Karl Schirdewan and_Ernst_Wollweber were voicing similar sentiments.  _Other_prominent_critics_of the party_line were, _Fred Oelßner and_Fritz Selbmann.

