Divellation and personalization, or who was running the GDR?

This article analyzes the structure of the bureaucratic administrative staf f of the party state. The structural core of the administrative staff was t he apparatus of the central committee. Yet, since this organization's domin ant task was to exert control, the development of strategic leading decisio ns was shifted to special administrative staffs (divellation). The mediatio n between the organization and the divellated staffs were carried out by ac tors with a proven bond of loyality to the party leader (personalization). This thesis is exemplified by the apparatus of the secret service and the m ilitary, the economic commission and the so called "Bereich Kommerzielle Ko ordinierung". Based upon this empirical analysis the article makes an attem pt to answer the question: Who was running the GDR?