10 Facts About Manfred Stolpe

Manfred Stolpe was a German canonist, theologian and politician who served as Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs of Germany from 2002 until 2005.

Manfred Stolpe is credited with forging a new identity for the state, among other things, popularizing the Brandenburglied, though controversy surrounding several failed projects and his work for the Stasi came up during his tenure.

Manfred Stolpe studied law at the University of Jena in German Democratic Republic.

In 1982 Manfred Stolpe became Consistorial President of the Eastern Region of the then divided Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg and, as such, a member of the Conference of Governing Bodies of the Evangelical Churches in the GDR; at the same time he was one of the two deputy chairmen of the Federation of Evangelical Churches.

Manfred Stolpe gave up these positions in 1990 and 1989 respectively.

Manfred Stolpe was a Stasi informer for 20 years while in the church.

Manfred Stolpe was re-elected twice, gaining an absolute majority of seats in the 1994 Brandenburg state election, even though he had been accused of collaborating with the Stasi, chiefly by then-Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records Joachim Gauck.

Manfred Stolpe held the position until his resignation on 26 June 2002.

Manfred Stolpe died on 29 December 2019 from complications of his aforementioned colon cancer and was buried at Bornstedter Friedhof opposite the Bornstedt Crown Estate in Potsdam.

Manfred Stolpe received honorary Doctorates in Theology from the University of Greifswald, from the University of Zurich and in Economics from the University of Szczecin.