Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume X, Eastern Europe

277. Telegram From the Embassy in the German Democratic Republic to the Department of State¹

3873.

East Berlin, December 6, 1984, 1009Z

SUBJECT

• Probable “Asylum” Incident Report.

1. C—Entire text.

2. At approximately 2320 hours December 5, 1984, Marine security guard discovered a young man on an outside second floor window ledge of the Chancery building. The man was trying to gain entry, presumably in an effort to gain permission to emigrate from the GDR. Duty officer and RSO proceeded to the scene, but arrived only after GDR police and fire personnel had deployed with ladder and rescue net.

3. Before Embassy officers could engage in any meaningful conversation to ascertain the individual’s identity and confirm his intentions, a fireman forced the man off the ledge. He was immediately taken away, unhurt, by police at about 10 minutes after midnight.

4. Consul General is informing FRG Permanent Mission of the incident as soon as he can be received.

5. RSO is also reporting details in SY channel.

6. Department may wish to repeat to Embassy Bonn and USMission USBerlin.

Wilkinson

1. Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Cable File, Europe (State) NODIS IN (12/01/1984–03/02/1985). Confidential; Immediate; Nodis.