10 Facts About Tino Schwierzina

Tino Antoni Schwierzina was a German lawyer and politician.

Tino Schwierzina's grandmother had come from Italy which explained his unusual name.

Tino Schwierzina became a Trades unionist, being a member of the Food and Catering Union between 1948 and 1990.

One of his fellow peace activists at this time was Gunter Guillaume: the two became friends and on 12 May 1951 Tino Schwierzina attended Guillaume's wedding as a witness.

From 1952 Tino Schwierzina was employed as a commercial lawyer, working for various East German enterprises on matters involving foreign trade, notably for the food and drinks sector, and including the VEB Barensiegel operation.

In 1969 Tino Schwierzina gave up full-time work on health grounds, but he continued to work as a lawyer on a part-time basis till 1989.

Tino Schwierzina's name was at the top of the SDP candidate list.

Tino Schwierzina was succeeded, albeit briefly, by his deputy, Thomas Kruger who from 11 January 1991 till 24 January 1991 served as "acting mayor" of East Berlin until the role was superseded and Eberhard Diepgen took office as the mayor of "all Berlin", appointed following the December 1990 city elections.

Between January 1991 and October 1995 Tino Schwierzina sat as a member of the Berlin regional legislature where he was elected an assembly vice-president and as Chairman of the Petitions Committee.

Brigitte Tino Schwierzina, his wife, is a doctor who reportedly instructed him, if reading the morning papers, to remain calm now that he was no longer required to feel responsible for matters reported.