Original: Erich Honecker ( August 25 , 1912 -- May 29 , 1994 ) was a German Communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ) from 1971 until 1989 .
Simplified: Erich Honecker ( 25 August 1912 -- 29 May 1994 ) was an East German Communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic from 1971 until 1989 .