Karl Clauss Dietel (*1934) is one of the most influential product designers from the former GDR. He lives and works in Chemnitz, formally known as Karl-Marx-Stadt. His design concepts are mostly forgotten, but in times of dramatic environmental developments, they could be a forward-looking inspiration for a new generation of product designers and consumers. We talk about his motivation, his fight against the dictatorship and a design concept driven by planned economy.