sentences:  The secretariat of the State Council was of some practical importance as its approximately 200 employees since 1961 dealt with citizens' petitions.Authorities in government and economics were obliged to cooperate with the secretariat on this.When Egon Krenz, Honecker's successor as leader of the SED, failed in his bid to preserve Communist rule in East Germany, he resigned from his offices in party and government, including his chairmanship of the State Council.