Editorial Note
At a special session of the People’s Chamber (Volkskammer) of the “German Democratic Republic” on January 30, Grotewohl replied to Adenauer’s statement with a point by point contradiction of the Federal Republic’s position, reiterating that the continuing need was for East and West Germans to sit down together for talks on German, unity, stressing that the Chancellor’s remarks were completely negative and merely an attempt to prevent understanding, and accusing [Page 1752] West Germany of “sailing full steam into a policy of chauvinism, revisionism and militarism.”
At the end of the session the People’s Chamber adopted a resolution (a) calling for the convocation of an all-German Constituent Council (AGCC) to bring about understanding on all questions which had to be solved to secure peace and reunify Germany and (b) enumerating the powers which its representatives would have at such a Council.
For the text of Grotewohl’s address to the People’s Chamber, see Grotewohl, Im Kampf um DDR, pages 320–334; for the text of the People’s Chamber resolution, see Folliot, Documents on International Affairs, 1951, pages 269–271 or Documents on German Unity, volume I, pages 175–176. The Berlin Element of HICOG reported on these events in telegrams 995 and 999, January 31 and February 1, neither printed (762A.00/1–3151 and 762.00/2–151).