TOP SECRET I 25x1 Approve-r Release 2003/g~~~P79Sd427AOO02~-u COPY ?# - 16 October 1961 25x1 WEEKLY CHRONOLOGY OF REPORTS CONCERNING THE BERLIN SITUATION RECEIVED DURING WEEK OF 10 OCT - 16 OCT Late Hungarian Minister of Justice Ferenc Nezval al- 25x1 Sept legedly told that there was no reason to bedome excited over he prospects for future travel to Hungary since "in any case, you won't have any possibilities 25x1 Approved For Release 2003/0 !$jf~79S00427A000200040004-0 TOP SECRET i 25x1 25x1
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WEEKLY CHRONOLOGY OF REPORTS CONCERNING THE BERLIN SITUATION RECEIVED DURING WEEK OF 10 OCT - 16 OCT
Late Hungarian Minis ter of J u s t i c e Ferenc Nezval a l - 25x1 Sept l e g e d l y t o l d that there w a s no
reason to bedome excited over he prospects for f u t u r e t r a v e l to Hungary s ince " i n any case, you won't have any p o s s i b i l i t i e s
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Correction:
29 Sept The West German M i n i s t r y for Refugee Affairs an- nounced that 14,700 refugees had fled from East B e r l i n and East Germany during the month of Sep- tember. /21 total of 47,433 refugees were reg-
the Bederal Republic between 1 and 31 I
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1 O c t East CIorman labor crews demolished a tube m i l l a b u t t i n g on t h e East-West Berlin sector border w i t h i n t h e 100 moter wide "cleared s tr ip"-- the f i r s t publicly-owned b u i l d i n g d ismant led along what t h e West B e r l i n e r s have begun t o c a l l the "Death S t r i p . v t More t h a n 1,000 m e n and women l e v e l e d t h e ground m a r the Erne t Heller bridge ovor t he Te l tow Canal , and 400 o thers began re- nwving sheds near t h e Msssante Bridge,I I 25x1 Approximately 50 Hungarian doctors have responded t o regime appeals t o resettle i n d e f i n i t e l y i n Xast Germany, I 25x1
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3 O c t S o f i a ' s Vecherni Novini suggested that a settle- nent of the German problem be modeled after the Austrian-Soviet t rea ty and described current Austrian- Soviet r e l a t i o n s i n exaggeratedly favorable term.
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4 O c t In conversa t ion wi th Senator Douglas, Mayor Brandt aga in called for a 52-nation peace conference, ex- p l a i n i n g t h a t whi le he had no i l l u s i o n s t h a t such a conference could produce a s a t i s f a c t o r y s o l u t i o n of t h e German problem, i t n i g h t buy tine and pro- v ide an oppor tuni ty t o set up s p e c i a l commissions to s tudy va r ious t e c h n i c a l problems. H e po in ted o u t t h a t t e c h n i c a l , as d i s t i n g u i s h e d from po l i t i ca l , d i scuss ions might lead t o improvements i n t h e access f i e l d and a l l e v i a t e "inhuman e f f e c t s " of p re sen t t o t a l d i v i s i o n o f Ber l in . One obJec t ive could be agreement on a fixed sum t o be pa id annual ly t o Fast Germany f o r maintenance of autobahn in place of presen t Autobahn to l l s . I I
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5 Oct Fedreg press chief von Eckardt t o l d a press con- ference that t h e US and U K w e r e not considering "concessions on important elements of our foreign policy.'! H e asserted that the A l l i e s were in- sisting on no change i n the status of Berlin, and were agreed i n re jec t ing a thinned-out mi l i tary zone. I
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8 O c t West German t r u c k d r i v e r s a r r i v i n g in B e r l i n via the Hamburg highway, I n t e r z o n a l Road #a, r e p o r t e d t h a t they had n o t been permitted t o s top e n r o u t e w i t h i n t h e GDR a n d t h a t VOWS had f i n e d d r i v e r s who s t o p p e d because of f a t i g u e . There were no re- ports of a s i m i l a r ban for passenge r cars. 7 Eight G u i d e l i n e s u r f a c e - t o - a i r missiles were ob- s e r v e d sou thwes t of B e r l i n in a convoy which a lso c o n t a i n e d s e v e r a l p robab le f i r e c o n t r o l vans. 7 1
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6 Oct At a Quadripartite ambassadorial meeting in Washington Lord Hood said that as Long as the West's military posture is maintained and public opinion remains constant, it can afford lltough" positions in negotiations with the Soviets-such as that West is not prepared to sign away the Germans' right to self-determination and reunifi- cation. He also s a i d the West should not agree to any limitation on West Berlin which does not apply equally to East Zerlin, In conclusion, Hood said UK agrees there is '10 use in exploring European security arrangements wita Soviets ow does not amear Darticularly interested. I
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Re tu rn ing from v i s i t t o New York, Brandt a rgued a g a i n s t accep tance of t h e " r e a l i t y of two Gernanys," saying t h a t t h e German r e f u s a l t o a c c e p t d i v i s i o n was also a " p o l i t i c a l r e a l i t y . " He sa id t h a t abandonment of r e u n i f i c a t i o n would a f f e c t German morale so ad= v e r s e l y as t o j e o p a r d i z e Germany's r e l a t i o n s w i t h t h e West, and would n o t d e t e o r t h e S o v i e t s from p r e s s i n g f o r r e u n i f i c a t i o n on their terms, 8.g. under t h e aegis of a "na t iona l -Bo l shev i s t movementrvt Brandt emphasied t h a t t h e means f o r improving t h e s i t u a t i o n l a y in t e c h n i c a l - l e v e l East-West German t a l k s and mentioned d i s c u s s i o n of a new l a n d corridor t o B e r l i n a s appropriate topic for such talks. 7 25x1
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Adenauer t o l d Senator J a v i t s t ha t Bonn would ex tend c o n s c r i p t i o n from 12 to 18 months. Adenauer sa id an economic blockade of t h e e n t i r e Sov ie t bloc-undertaken as a p u n i t i v e measure-=has real p o s s i b i l i t i e a , and urged greater Western economic u n i t y in e s t a b l i s h i n a an e f f e c t i v e blockade. 25x1
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US Mission Berlin reported t h a t s t a t i s t i ca l data p r e s e n t s mired-though somewhat encouraging- p i c t u r e of t h e West Berlin economy. A greater number ~ i ~ p e r p p l i are l e a v i n g ' t h e d w , b u t they are not so desparate enough t o sell their houses a t "fire sale" prices. Savings deposits have d e c l i n e d , b u t a t slower rate t han p rev ious ly . Bus iness firms are making l o a n a p D l i c a t i o n s in s i c a n t l y large numbers. I
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Neues Deutschland announced t h a t t h e GDR Council of h i n i s t e r s had au fhor i zed t h e Minis t ry of Defense t o ex tend for s i x months " c e r t a i n categories of t h e Nat iona l People's A m y i nvo lv ing specialized t e c h n i c a l
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knowledge and, i n even t of n e c e s s i t y , a l l soldiers, non-commissioned o f f i c e r s azd officers whose s e r v i c e would have t e rmina ted i n t he autumn of 1061."-
The US Mission i n B e r l i n reported that a USCOB hel i - c o p t e r had flown out f o u r of t h e e ight r e fugees who had a r r i v e d i n S te ina tuecken on 8-9 October, and that the remaining r e fugees would be l i f t e d o u t t h e fo l lowing day. I
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In i d e n t i c a l n o t e s t r a n s m i t t e d t o t h e US, UK and France though t h e Czechoslovak Minis t ry of Foreign Affairs i n Prague, t he GDR p r o t e s t e d a 5 October de= c i s i o n by West German b e n d e r M i n i s t e r s of I n t e r i o r t o send a token force of West German p o l h e t o West B e r l i n for t ra f f ic duty. The no te s demanded t h a t t h e Western Powers v e t o any such use of West German police i n West B e r l i n and warned a g a i n s t "any misuse of the communication l i n e s of the GDR by l and , water or a i r for t h e implementation of the West German de- c i s i o n ... f i h i c g c o n s t i t u t e s an a c t of aggress ion which the-GDR w i l l coun te r i n t h e i n t e r e s t s of its s e c u r i t y and peace as unders tood by the tradam Agreement of t h e a n t i - R i t l e r coa l i t i on . " 1 25x1
USCOB resumed token m i l i t a r y patrols a long t h e East- in t he American Sector .
VOPOS re fused t o permit a B e r l i n command patrol , en- gaged i n a deliberate probe, t o r e t u r n t o West Ber- l i n from t h e East v i a t h e Sonnenallee checkpoint. The East German police, "whose a t t i t u d e was f i rm b u t no t bellicose," blocked the p a t r o l ' s passage p h y s i c a l l y when i t sought t o move through t h e check- p o i n t a f t e r w a i t i n g v a i n l y for an hour %or a Sov ie t of- ficer t o appear. The patrol r e t u r n e d t o West B e r l i n v i a the Friedrichst 25x1 Approved For Releas
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Asses s ing c u r r e n t B r i t i s h o p i n i o n on t h e B e r l i n s i t u a t i o n , t h e US Embassy i n London r e p o t e d that t he c u r r e n t mood is one of r e l i e f t h a t t h e US is engaged in e x p l o r a t o r y t a l k s w i t h the S o v i e t Union. The view is widely he ld t h a t de facto r e c o g n i t i o n of East Germany is the price t h e USSR seeks for a B e r l i n s e t t l e m e n t and t h a t t he West can and s h o u l d pay t h i s p r i c e . e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y accepted a t t h e annua l confe rences of the Labor and L i b e r a l p a r t i e s , and similar views are l i k e l y t be exDressed a t t h e Conse rva t ive p a r t y conference .
R e s o l u t i o n s t o t h i s effect were
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P r e s i d e n t Luebke warned t h a t t he Bundeswehr might be called upon t o f i g h t East German " fe l low country- men" i n t h e e v e n t of a n a t t a c k "aimed a t o u r com- p l e t e subjugat ion ." fl S e c u r i t y A l e r t Police n e a r t he sector border i n Lohmuehlenstrasse f i red over t h e heads of a USOOB p a t r o l which e n t e r e d a n unmarked area t h a t was t h e c e n t e r of SAP a c t i v i t y and ignored a connand to h a l t . A SAP off icer d e t a i n e d t h e patrol by su r round ing it w i t h h i s men, wh i l e he made ' ' r epea ted t e l e p h o n e calls" --possibly i n response t o a demand by t h e patrol that a S o v i e t o f f i c e r be sunnoned. The SAP officer released t h e p a t r o l a f te r t e l l i n g i t t h a t t he S o v i e t Komnandatura would n o t s e n d a Soviet officer and re- f u s i n g to d i v u l g e t h e nane of the man who had fired the submachine gun.
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12 O c t Fo re ign M i n i s t e r von Brentano stated tha t expanded Federal Republic-East German contacts--"under di- r e c t i v e s i s s u e s by t h e Four Powers"-would be poa- s i b l e and mentioned s p e c i f i c a l l y d i s c u s s i o n s about the p r e p a r a t i o n of a n all-German electoral law. Brentano rejected any de facto r e c o g n i t i o n of the Pankor government, however, s a y i n g t h a t In practice i t would amount t o de j u r e r e c o g n i t i o n , he declared tha t c o n t a c t s aimed a t c o n f e d e r a t i i t h t h e U1- br ich t regime hare t o be rejected.
West B e r l i n police r o u t e d 10 VOPOS and a n East Ger- man off icer who chased a would-be r e f u g e e i n t o a
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Bonn's Ambassador t o France, Herbert Blankenhorn, s ta ted t h a t it is no l o n g e r possible t o W i t on o u r r igh ts" i n B e r l i n and t h a t t h e time has come for eoae courageous move, such a8 e s t a b l i s h i n g a *'new s t a t u s " in B e r l i n . He o p i n e d t h a t Chance l lor Adenauer was ready fo r s u c h
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13 O c t VOPOS f i red a barrage of more t h a n 250 rounds i n t o West B e r l i n in a f u t i l e attempt to p reven t t h e es- cam of n i n e E a s t B e r l i n e r s . who crashed a barbed bairicade a a a c e n t t o t h e h e r i c a n Sector w i t h a t r u c k and t h e n f l e d on foot,
Neues Deutschland hailed t h e c a n c e l l a t i o n of p l a n s 30 b r i n g a token " s o l i d a r i t y " force of West German p o l i c e t o West B e r l i n as proof t h a t t h e US I s un- w i l l i n g t o have current East-west n set by "prof s s s i o n a l provoca teurs . ''
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For t h e second t i m e in as many days , a l l West Ber- l i n and West German l i c e n s e d cars c a r r y i n g f o r e i g n and A l l i e d pe r sonne l were held up a t the Friedrich- strasse checkpoint e n r o u t e to East B e r l i n . I I
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13 O c t West German Vice Chancel lor Erhard told Genera l Clay t h a t t h e p o s i t i o n of Adenauer’s C h r i s t i a n Democratic Union (CDU) on B e r l i n was t h e same as t h a t of t he US, H e s aitl tha t w h i l e the CDU would d i s l i k e having t o recognize p u b l i c l y t h e Oder-Neisse l i n e , t h e p a r t y knew it existed and therefore w a s p repared t o accept it, The CDU, said Erhard, cou ld n o t r ecogn ize an East German government, or look w i t h f a v o r on r e c o g n i t i o n by any of t h e Western Powers, Bonn would, however, expand its t e c h n i c a l c o n t a c t s w i t h E a s t Germany i n such f ie lds as t r a n s - p o r t a t i o n , mail and trade. n u c l e a r weaRon8. b u t emphasized t h a t Bonn cou ld n o t
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N e w s Deutschland character ized as "ext raord inar i ly dangerous" t h e s i t u a t i o n on the East-West Ber l in sector border, and charged West Berl in a u t h o r i t i e s w i t h t r iggering " increasing provocations" against t h e GDR. "Shots are being f i r ed a t our People's policemen, hordes of good-for-nothings a r e being s e n t t o the state borders t o provoke our s e c u r i t y police w i t h stones and abusive shouts, whis t led back i n t o t h e f r o n t c i t y by West B e r l i n emionage centers , are s t e a l i n g across the border,
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16 O c t VOPOS barred six West Ber l in construction workers from enter ing Steinstuecken v i a the sole acc road across GDR t e r r i t o r y . I West Ber l in p o l i c e reported that 27 East Ber l iners and East Germans had escaped during the weekend of 14-15 October. the East-West sector border the East German a u t h o r i t i e s have strung an electric warning system which d l s - charges exp los ives when tripped.
