862.00/9–748: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
2249. After events subsided at City Hall September 6 (mytel 2247 September 7 repeated London 578, Paris 593, Moscow 4881) City Assembly leaders regrasped initiative they seemed to have lost during day and decided to convene meeting elsewhere. British Military Commandant was again asked to permit utilization of old Reichstag Building. Although this was refused he permitted meeting in Technische Hochschule in British sector.
Suhr Assembly Chairman, invited attendance all four political factions. SED refused; only member that ilk attending reported to be Helmut Brandt, head of CDU splint group and leading figure in new so-called “demo bloc”, who is apparently there as “observer”. Although all other members not present, meeting is said to be well attended and regularity is lent it by presence US, British and French liaison officers. Several SPD burgomasters from Soviet sector Bezirks also present as guest observers.
Suhr designated meeting as “extraordinary” one as regards time and place, but otherwise “ordinary”. All points on agenda of ill fated, often postponed meeting were to be considered in regular fashion.
Meeting began at 7 o’clock and was expected to continue into night as agenda is lengthy. Up to 10 o’clock, it had voted on magistrat election program and fixed November 14 as Berlin’s next election day. It had also voted favorably on Berlin’s representation in west Germany parliamentary council and confirmed nomination of five delegates appointed by SPD, CDU, and LDP. It is encouraging that after feeble performance at City Hall today, Assembly leaders rallied so quickly and immediately convened meeting elsewhere.
Sent Department 2249; repeated London 579, Paris 595, Moscow 490.
- Not printed; it reported in detail on recent, Communist-led demonstrations which had paralyzed the City Assembly and prevented it from meeting in the new City Hall (862.00/9–748). For documentation on these events, see Berlin Senate, Berlin, Quellen und Dokumente, pp. 1610 ff.↩