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]

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