According to local police, the birthplace of the former leader of communist East Germany, Erich Honecker, caught fire and was damaged.
Honecker led East Germany as head of state and leader of the ruling SED party from 1971 until his removal from power in 1989, shortly before the state’s collapse.
The house, in the city of Neunkirchen in western Germany, suffered a fire in the roof and attic spaces late Tuesday evening, which spread to neighboring buildings. Initial estimates by fire investigators put the damage at around €750,000.
No one was injured in the fire. The investigation into the cause is still ongoing.
Honecker was born on August 25, 1912 at home in Neunkirchen, Saarland. He died in 1994.
Honecker only lived in Neunkirchen for a very short time. In 1913 the family moved to the neighboring Wiebelskirchen district.
