Hans-Eberhard Dingels 1930 - 2014

The Socialist International pays its deepest respects to the memory of Hans-Eberhard Dingels, former international secretary of the Social Democratic Party of Germany a committed and active social democrat, who died on 31 March 2014, in Bonn.

Hans-Eberhard Dingels, born on 22 October 1930 in Bonn, was during his entire working life dedicated to serve his movement. He became international secretary for the Socialist Youth of Germany - The Falcons, in 1951, and later, in 1961 he took the same role in the SPD. He remained head of the SPD’s international department until 1995, and received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1991, which stands as a recognition of his great political achievements. Hans-Eberhard Dingels participated regularly, through all those years, in the activities and meetings of the Socialist International, where he held many different responsibilities, in working groups, committees and other bodies.

Dingels worked in contact with numerous parties and movements across the world, and notably was an important actor in the release of hostages hijacked in Jordan shortly before the Black September crisis in 1970.

He will be well remembered by all those who knew him in our International.