762A.00/5–2850: Telegram

The Director of the Berlin Element, HICOG ( Page ) to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfort 1

secret

1003. For PEPCO. Deptel 107 to Berlin repeated Frankfort 2444, April 10.2 Bourgeois party situation Soviet Zone is presently undergoing important developments. Following data based largely on interview with Ernst Lemmer, and supplemented by conversations with other German politicians.

The unity list has been factor which, even in eyes West Germans who formerly urged continued party existence and Western support, has changed picture. Most politicians and observers therefore accept sentiments reportedly uttered by top SED leader, to effect bourgeois parties now merely additional tools for executing SED policies.

Preponderant reaction West Berlin and West German politicians is that these developments highly unfortunate, but unavoidable results Sovietization GDR. One concrete answer, however, seems gradually shaping under guidance Lemmer with Kaiser3 support.

Plan is to reconstitute East CDU, LDP, and even SPD in exile. Present East German party leadership will be written off and new leadership created West Berlin. These will claim represent (and actually will in spirit) vast majority Soviet Zone population. Without asserting as much, these groups will approximate Soviet Zone regime in exile. It also hoped three above parties can unite in common council for Soviet Zone in this enterprise without, of course, implying any change party independence and rivalry West German[y]. This based on fact that for most Soviet Zone population, there is no interest in differences between pro-Western parties, but only in difference between freedom and oppression (SED).

Because Lemmer, pre-1948 Deputy Chief Soviet Zone CDU under Kaiser, is sparking these developments, organizational work of reconstituting CDU leadership more advanced than for LDP. For SPD job is only to establish some new branch at least superficially separate from “Ostbuero.” Latter engages in some underground operations Soviet Zone, and Lemmer wishes these party leaderships completely separate from such activities.

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Investigation by Lemmer has revealed over 5,000 former East CDU functionaries and local government officials have fled Soviet Zone. These constitute source for future leadership groups. Lemmer is recruiting few honest CDU officials still in East Zone and also has received promise from Hickmann to join new organization when actually started, although Hickmann wishes remain in Saxony as long as possible, since his mere presence, without activity, now effective symbol resistance.

Lemmer has also had long unfruitful talk with Nuschke and will attempt final meeting between Nuschke and Kaiser in West Berlin May 27. While Nuschke certain he must leave eventually, he plans proceed Sweden, from whose neutral ground he can speak freely to East and West. Meanwhile, he appears so engulfed in forebodings imminency war, which neither side wants but each moving towards, that he insists he must use all his small powers help warding it off, even at price unity list and similar Communizing developments. Lemmer judges Nuschke to be wholly upright and unconcerned with any personal advantage, but completely gullible and blind as to actual events. Lemmer will write him off if final meeting with Kaiser fails produce change. LDP (FDP) will have more trouble with new leadership, but their present plan is young Kuetz (son of LDP founder who died 1948) will lead group. Moog, Lieutenant, Dierlamm, and Uhle may join top ranks. Indications are that all present LDP Soviet Zone leadership will cling to offices.

We believe entire project if handled adroitly, if consummated with tri-party cooperation, and if given Kaiser ministry and appropriate Allied support might develop into important portion of answer to NAT front in West Germany. Subordinate to suitably named West Berlin head organization, which would effect collaboration three party organizations together with unions and other private organizations, state, district, city, and village committees could develop throughout Federal Republic. These would be distinct from local West German SPD, CDU, FDP, and other early groups which would continue regular political rivalry. Committee network would be instrument by which West Germans (whether formerly from Soviet Zone or not) could join to keep in touch with individuals and developments in Soviet Zone and with Communist and NAT front activity their localities, in order counteract latter. At same time, head organization West Berlin could also suggest policies and execute programs to maintain will of East German population to resist Sovietization.

Department pass Moscow: sent Frankfort 1003, repeated information Department 824, London 85, Moscow 67, Paris 278, Bonn 81.

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  1. The source text was sent as 824 to the Department of State.
  2. Not printed; it reported the Department of State’s approval of a plan to encourage the “defection” of Otto Nuschke, leader of the CDU in the Soviet Zone, and other bourgeois party leaders. Berlin was also informed that the United States should “increasingly take position that Ost-CDU and LDP can no longer be regarded as opposition parties, but must be treated as ancillaries and tools of SED-sponsored Natl Front program.” (762A.00/4–150)
  3. Jacob Kaiser, Federal Minister for All-German Affairs and former leader of the CDU In the Soviet Zone.