Erich Honecker agenda now being the composition of the Politburo. Krenz and Mielke attempted by telephone on the night of 16 October to win other Politburo members over to remove Honecker. At the beginning of the session on 17 October, Honecker asked his routine question of “Are there any suggestions for the agenda?” Stoph replied, "Please, General Secretary, Erich, I propose that a new item be placed on the agenda. It is the release of Erich Honecker as General Secretary and the election of Egon Krenz in his place." Honecker reportedly calmly responded: "Well, then I open the debate". All those present
Willi Stoph to 14 July 1960. As defense minister, he was awarded the rank of Armeegeneral. After serving as first deputy prime minister from 1960 to 1964, he was named Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat), or prime minister, in 1964. He was initially thought to be the heir apparent to longtime East German leader Walter Ulbricht, but his ascendancy was checked by Erich Honecker. After Ulbricht's death in 1973, Stoph became Chairman of the Council of State--a post equivalent in rank to president of the GDR. After Volkskammer elections in 1976, the state and party leadership structure was re-arranged, and