Anton Breitenhofer

Anton Breitenhofer (10 April 1912, in Reșița – 20 December 1989, in Bucharest) was a Swabian (ethnic German) journalist, writer and politician in Romania.[1][2] Breitenhofer spent his youth working as a locksmith in Reșița during twenty-two years.[3] He became a member of the Communist Party of Romania during the initial phase of the Second World War.[1] After the war he spent time in the Soviet Union, deported for forced labour.[1] He served as editor-in-chief of Neuer Weg (German-language daily newspaper) between 1954 and 1976.[1] He served as secretary of the German Anti-Fascist Committee 1949-1952.[1]

He became a member of the Great National Assembly in 1952.[1] In 1955 he became a member of the Central Committee of what was by then the Romanian Workers' Party.[1] He was a member of the State Council between 1961 and 1965, and again from 1968 and 1969.[1][3] He was the Vice Chairman of the Bureau of the Council of Working People of German Nationality between 1968 and 1978.[1][3] In 1968 he was included in the National Council of the Socialist Unity Front.[3]

He became a member of the bureau of the Romanian Writers' Union in 1960.[3] He formed part of its executive committee between 1962 and 1968.[3] In his literary career, he wrote novels centered on working class characters in Reschitza.[1]

In 1976 he was replaced by Ernst Breitenstein as editor-in-chief of Neuer Weg.[3] He also resigned from his position in the Council of Working People of German Nationality.[3] At the 13th Party Congress he was removed from the Central Committee.[3] No official reasoning was provided for his retreat from public positions.[3]