Erich Honecker ( 25 August 1912 â `` 29 May 1994 ) was an East German Communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic from 1971 until 1989 . Erich Honecker ( ; 25 August 1912 â `` 29 May 1994 ) was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic from 1971 until 1989 .