Frank Bochow
Frank Bochow | |
---|---|
Member of the German Democratic Republic to Portugal | |
In office 1977–1982 | |
Preceded by | Erich Butzke |
Succeeded by | Siegfried Kämpf |
Personal details | |
Born | 12 August 1937 Dresden, Saxony, Germany |
Died | 10 April 2012 Berlin, Germany |
Political party | SED |
Spouse | Margot |
Parent | Herbert Bochow |
Occupation | Diplomat, politician, tour guide |
Awards | Patriotic Order of Merit Star of People's Friendship |
Frank Bochow (12 August 1937 – 10 April 2012) was an East German trade unionist and diplomat. Between 1977 and 1982 he served as his country's ambassador in Portugal.[1][2]
Life
Formative years
Frank Bochow was born in Dresden shortly before the
Career
FDJ (Free German Youth)
Dresden was in the part of Germany that found itself in the
Between 1955 and 1961 he attended the
Government service
Bochow transferred to government service in 1976, joining the Western Europe section of the East German Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Between 1977 and 1981 he served as his country's ambassador to Lisbon[1] in succession to Erich Butzke.[2] Portugal had recently undergone a revolution which had involved the removal, in 1974, of a right wing dictatorship, and Bochow was only the second ambassador to be sent to the country by the East German government. Bochow became much enamored with Portugal: he would later be remembered for the gusto with which he had sung Portuguese left wing patriotic songs such as "Grândola, Vila Morena" und "Avante Camarada" when, as ambassador, he was invited to participate in political rallies.[3]
After the ambassadorship
On returning to Berlin he served, between 1982 and 1989, as Secretary for International Relations in the Federal Executive of the
Germany reunited
Frank Bochow's career in government came to an end with
Awards and honours
- 1971 Patriotic Order of Merit in Bronze[5]
- 1973 Patriotic Order of Merit in Gold[6]
- 1987 Star of People's Friendship in Silver (1987)
References
- ^ a b c Andreas Lesch (15 February 2003). "Die guten, alten Kontakte: Wer mit * **verreist, kann sich von früheren Botschaftern der DDR Land und Leute erklären lassen". Berliner Zeitung (online). Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Helmut Müller-Enbergs. "Bochow, Frank * 12.8.1937, † 10.4.2012 FDGB-Funktionär". Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur: Biographische Datenbanken. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hartmut König (funeral oration) [in German] (July 2012). "Sag mir, wo du stehst ..." (PDF). RotFuchs. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ ..."altes Nazi-Gesindel aus den Löchern gekrochen war"...
- ^ Berliner Zeitung, 28 April 1971, p. 2
- ^ Berliner Zeitung, 6 November 1973, p. 3