SOVIET CONTROL OVER ZORAL GOVERNMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007200870008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 5, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 30, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/03/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007200870008-2
t;LAbJIrIt;AIIUN 0 S-E-C-R-E-T
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY East Germany
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
Soviet Control over Zonal Government
TM-s DOCUMENT CORTAINS INFORNATISII AFFSCTINS TRl NAT-ONAL O{PINM
Of THE UNITED ITATIS. NITNIN TAN N$AAINO Of T,TU Is. $*CTiOI) 7"
AND 7sr. OF Till O. S. Coll. Al ANNNIRD. ITS TIANON*O10M OR RIfL?
ATION Of ITS COATITS to OR NIMP OT AD INAOTNOINzID DEMON Is PNOAISITIS ST LAW TIIR II PSA4YCTIONOS Tots FOON to onwas' t?I' b.
DATE DISTR. 30 June 1955
NO. OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW) 25X1
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1. In early summer 1954, t Malt *tjs. lapsrte# by the Soviet High
Commissioner or by his staff to 1T1n',t., went Otto Grotewohl's office
were not only transmitted orally, or personally and directly, to him, but
it also often happened that the personal secretariat of the Minister Pres-
ident would send to the pool of interpreters separate sheets or batches of
typewritten Russian texts printed on simple white paper, without any letter-
head or signature. These were instructions, directives, and sometimes
complete texts of decrees which were later promulgated officially - with
practically no modifications - as resolutions of the East German Council
of Ministers.)
2. These texts, regalr*l.S of **IV (directives, laws, resolutions,
and even speeches called., "&ragmente". This
euphemistic term
! order to the East German Government
ILM
has become proverbial in the office of the Minister President. A "Fragment"
is a text prepared in its entirety by the Soviet Embassy, sent over to the
Office of the Minister President for translation and further action, the
latter consisting simply of submitting or passing the order through official
East German government channels for signature and publication. Allegedly,
even at present, the bulk of the East German laws, decrees, resolutions., and
other similar governmental actions is based on the "Fragmente".
In August 1954, the original text of a speech which was later delivered by
Grotewohl at an official gathering had apparently been prepared in Grotewohl's
office and must have been submitted for approval by the Soviet Embassy,
because it was returned with editorial comments, remarks, and rather authori-
tarian criticisms in Russian (samples: "the comparison of the situation in
the West with that in the East is inappropriate"; "This expression cannot be
used in this connection"; "Cancel this passage and replace it by" /follows
the Russian texts.) The speech in its final form and as delivered by
Grotewohl mw s ~a** sad. precise translation of the version edited
by the Soviet >`lsssro
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,,.,present each East Germs ittee (for instance, the
State Planning Commissi.as) psra]Lslad assy by a section which
4. Not only Grotewohl's, but also Walter Ulbricht's speeches were edited and
approved in the same fashion. The same is supposedly still being done with
all significant laws, decrees, resolutions, and speeches emanating officially
from the Minister President, the Council of Ministers, or the individual
members of the government.
5. The most prominent members of the East German government (Wilhelm Pieck, :;retw
Grotewohl, Ulbricht, and possibly Ernst Wollweber) are believed to be Soviet
citizens or to hold double citizenship, so that their subservience to the
highest representative of the Soviet government in East Germany is also
formalized in their legal status.
rafter the abolition of the SCC and of the offices of the representatives of the
Soviet li#,h Commissioner or Germanys the Emblam was reorganized, so that at
. The Soviet Embassy in Berlin constitutes the actual government of East Germany.
25X1
25X1
is carried out through these sec ions and through the system of
are attached directly to the East German ministries and govern
7. It is not known whether the individual German ministers receive their .instruc-
tions in all instances directly from the specialized sections of the Embassy
or through the office of the East German Minister President. It seems that in
cussed and an coordinated between the SHCG and the top East German
functionaries before they reached the governmental machinery and
that the Interpreters'Departm.ent of the Chancellery primarily 25X1
handled translations from German into Russian of routine opera-
tional matters, ordinances, directives, etc.; the Interpreters'
w orders for translations
few
Department received only a
from Russian i an. the 25X1
SHCG did not i tives or instructions to the
Chancellery bu matters through the State
Administration D Central Committee to create
the impression that all matters a handled independently by the
Germaps. prior to the declaration 25X1
of the sovereignty of East Germany, all draft laws and ordinances
had to be translated into Russian and submitted in nine copied to
the SHCG before going to the Council of Ministers for a decision;
since the proclamation of sovereignty, only three copies of the
law or ordinance had to be submitted to the SHCG after being
passed by the Council of Ministers.
the special areas the control and the
in a more complex manner: The Soviet
direct instructions received probably
"suggestions" to the individual ministers
decrees and directives which are t
of Ministers or the Office of the
drafts are submitted by the Sovie
Embassy,which undoubtedly pass on
At the same time, the
pecialized sections of the
uncil of Ministers, approves
It is certain decree or directive proposed per an East German ministry
to the Council dec an be submitted without having been discussed at
nistries, acting on
Embassy, make
them the respective
mitted by the ministers to the Council
them officially and proclamation is made in
length with th to the German agency.
all -Important policy matters, as a rule, were dis- 25X
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 Approved For Release 2008/03/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007200870008-2
Not only Grotswchl's, but also Walter Ulbricht's speeches were edited and
approved jr. the same fashion. The same is supposedly still being done with
X11 :,i~-nificant laws, decrees, resolutions, and speeches emanatin- officially
from `.}. - 2Y:inister 'resident, the Council of Ministers, or the individual
memuors of the government.
The most prominent members of the East German government (6bilhelm i1ecr,
Crotewohl, Ulbricht, and possibly y'rnst Wollweber) are believed to be ~ovie:t
citizens or to hold double citizenship, so that their subservience to the
highest representative of the Soviet Government in East Germany is also
formalize(: in their legal status,
::': cvi c ` ra;assy in Berlin constitutes the actual government of East Germany.
_.f ter ,};ry atcliticn of the 3CC and of the offices of the representatives of the
Y:. *t H ?'~ Ccm,-i isioner for Germany, th" _Embassy was reorganized, 30 that at
p: scent each East German Ministry or important comrittee (for instance, the
:;fate ,:laming Cc,,missl.on) is Paralleled in the Embassy by a section which
supervises and controls the activities of the German agency. The Soviet control
is carried out through these sections and through the system of advisers who
are attached directly to the East German ministries and government a?encies,.
it is not known whether the individual German ministers receive their instruc---
ticns in s11 instances directly from the specialized sections of the ::mbassy
or through the office of the East German Minister President. It seems that in
the s?ecial nren:; the control and the corresponding directives are carried out
in a more complex manner: The :ioviet advisers :.t the ministries, acting on
direct instructions received probably through or from the Embassy, make
"sugrestions" to the individual ministers and draft with them the respective
decrees and directives which uro than submitted by the ministers to the Council
of ::inicters cr the Office of the linister iresident. Lt the sar?.e time, the
dr,:fts are submitted by the Soviet advisers to the specialized sections of the
Lmbassy,which undoubtedly pass on them before the Council cf binisters approves
them officially and proclamation is made in the form of a decree or directive.
It is certain that no decree or dir,ctive proposed by an East German ministr25X1
to the Council of 2inisters can be submitted without having been discussed &25X1
length r;t" Vhim~ advisers attached to the German agency.
a Important policy matters, as a rue, were dis-25X1
cussed and coordinated between the 3HCG and the top East Germ.in
functionaries before they reached the iovernmental machinery and
that the Interpreters' Department of the Chancellery primarily
handled translations from German into Russian of routine opera-
tional matters, ordinances, directives, etc.; the Interpreters'
Department received only a very few work orders for translations
from Russian into German. the25X1
SRCG did not issue any written directives or instructions to the
Chancellery but channeled all such matters through the State
administration De^artment of the 310 Central Committee to create
the impression that all matters r ndled independently by tho
Germans prior to the declaration
of the sovereignty of East Germany, all draft laws and ordinances
had to be translated into Russian And sh:baitted in nine copier to
the SHCG before going to the Council of Ministers for a decision;
since the proclamation of sovereignty, only three copies of the
law or ordinance had to be submitted to the CHCG after being
passed by the Council of Ministers.,
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 "ILACE
1%,CCLLi-3ED
DATE OF
INFO.
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#94FORMA11ON REPORT CD NO.
CLASSIFICATION S-E-C-ft-E-T
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPOR
East Germany
Soviet Control over Zonal Government
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS DO , r r in CONTAINS I NFORRA':TOH AFFECTINO THE NATIONAL DEFINES
Ct Tilt U.:ITcD STATES. WITHIN THE ENANINS OF TITLE N. SECTIONS 708
AD 700. Oi THE U. S. CODE. AS AMENDED. IT$ TEAIISYISOION OR REVEL-
, i O ITS CONTE:TTS 70 OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PER$ON
IS PRO::,[iTHO By LAW THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS POSE IS PRONIRITID.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
30 June 1955
2 25X1
25X1
in early summer the instructions imparted ty the `Soviet hi{rrs
Ccwn.-i.ssioner or by h:.s staff to Ia%.ni eter Presiicnt Otto Groterohl ?s office
wer" not only transrn.ttecl orally, or personally and directly, to hi,il, but
it also often happened that the personal secretariat of the Minister Pres-
ident iouli send to -;he pool of interpreters separate, sheets or batches of
typt ur:itten Russian '.exts printed on simple whit,,- pa.e;rF without any
head or signature. '.'neae 7ere instructions, diroot{vcr-, and sometimes
complete texts of decrees which were later promulgated officially R..th
practically no nodif`.cations - as resolutions of the East German Co%incill
of TA-4.nisterso1
Th s: :, texts, regardless of their contents (directives, laws, resolutions,
arid even speeches) are called "Fragmente"; rh
=uphemistic terra for an anonymous Soviet order to the East German Govexnsnc.ni
has become proverbial in the office of the Minister President. A "Frag:mo?rt"
is c text prepared in its entirety by the Soviet Embassy, sent over to tin!
Office of the Minister President for translation and further actions, tn..
latter consisting simply of submitting or passing the order throrgh o:''F s~:.E.l
'~;ast Ger,iar government channels for signature and publ cationo
even at present, the bulk of the East German laws, decrees, resolutions, and
other similar governmental actions is based on the "Fragmente",
in tugust 1954x, the original text of a speech which was later delivtrel ',)y
Oroteirohl at an official gathering had apparently been prepared _~.n ;~rotecch .
of ice and must have been submitted for approval by the: Soviet Enzba.:_.sy,
because it was returned with editorial comments, remarks, and rather authcrit
tar: .an criticisms in Russian (samples: "the co'parisor of the si.tui.tion in
the iest with that in the East is inappropriate`.- "This expression, oan_--iot be
in this connection"; "Cancel this passag3 and replace it by" /follows
,'se Bus3 ian text/.) The speech in its final f orrc_ and as delivered uy
12_ot;; nolil was a complete and precise translation of the version i .ter..
t Soviet Embassy.
~,_;. I x .r,
CLASSIFICATION S -E--C--R-E-T
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4 1.',)t cn'y Grotewchl?s, but also Walter Ulbrichtc's speeches were edit.d and
.proved in the sane fashion. The same is supposedly still being done with
:;i.CnJifi.cant laws, decrees, resolutions, and speeches etanatin4 officially
;'vcr- '1;- Minister president, the Council of Ministers, or the indiv>dual
n_f:!mbvrs of t`se gcverrment
prccrinrnt members of the East German government (.,ilhe'.m iieoi ,
Jlbri cht .. and possibly rrest '4ollweber) are believed to be ovi e t
^r .> cr co hold :rouble citizensh .p, so that. their subservience to the
rein ^:~sont five cf the 5ovviet govern,:,ent in East Germany is also
he.r r 1e1- ?? _:ta cus
:,t in 11,trlin cc,nstitutes the a:tual government of L. t Gerry
boliti. n of ?1:c `N and o*' the offices of thEE representatives of tfie
cm, i3s ioIIP?'? for Germany t!: r4bccsJ' 7 rE ort an-4 zed, so that
cacti. East Gerr'1n Ministry or important comr..lt.tec. (for instance, thin!
.t., '_,nrin, Co~-Tr;isa:.on) is FFiTBYleled in the Em t::aesy ty- a section which
c.nd cor:trcla the activities of the German agency. The Soviet control
out through these iec+; or i and thrc.igh the system of advisers vita
directly to the East German ministries and I;overnrrent accncie.,,
'ache'
not ]frown whether the individual German ministers receive their instruc-
!. _cn:. _n all instances directly from the specialized sections of the i:mbassy
thrc:uch the office of the Last German Minister president. It seems that in
i.he r~-)t ciai arezr:a the control and the correspond-int, Jiroetives are carried out
in a ore coy.plex manner: The Soviet r.dvisers at the ministri^s, ucting on
:instructions received probably through or from the Embassy, make
" ,t2c t ions" to the individucl ministers anrO, draft with thei the respective
:le .reec and {3 irectives which are then submitted by the ministers to the Council
"in_Lcters or the Office of the binister rresident. i.t the same time, the
d:-,:fts are submitted b;; the Soviet advisers tci the ssecialiaed sections of the
~riba3s;-, whic i undoubtedly pass on then before the Council cf i.'inisters approves
'ier 'ficially and proclamation is made in the form of a decree or directive:,
-ertain that no decree or dir? ctive proposed by an Last German ministry
t 'ouncil of 1:inist-ers can be submitted without having been discussed at
C'^ t>,- advisers attached to the German agency. 25X1
25X1
r
all important policy matters, as a rule, mere dis- 25X1
cuss! and coordinated between the 31CC and the top least Ce nr rl
functionaries before they reached the -overnc.ental machinery and
thr;t the Interpreters' Department of the Chancellery primarily
handled translations from German into Runns nn of routine opEra..
ti.cr.al tatters, ordinances, directives, etc.,; thn Interprm`e?rsl
Department received only a very few work orders for translations
from Russian into German. the 25X1
SHCG did not issue any written directives or instructions to the
Chanccllery but channeled all such matters through the State
.dn inistration Department of the 3ED Central Committee to create
the impression that all matters were handled independently by th'~
Germans prior to the declaraticr25X1
of the sovereignty of .sas Germany, a draft laws and ordinances
had to be translated into Rusnian and s1.Lnitted in line copie!; ?'?c
the SHCG before going to the Council of Ministers for a decision;
since tht proclamation of sovereignty, only three copies of the
law or ordinance had to be submitted to the SHCG after being
passed by the Council of Kiniscers,
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