Egon Krenz is a former politician from the German Democratic Republic, who was its last Communist leader. He succeeded Erich Honecker as leader of the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany and head of state in October 1989, but had to resign less than two months later amid the collapse of the communist state. Throughout his career, Krenz held a number of prominent positions in the communist government. He was Honecker's deputy from 1984 onward, until he succeeded Honecker in 1989 amid protests against the regime. Krenz was unsuccessful in his attempt to retain the communist state's grip on power, and was forced to resign some weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. After the German reunification in 1990 he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for manslaughter, for his role in the crimes of the communist regime

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