MEETING OF THE ZONAL KPD DIRECTORATE IN MAINZ

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002200370002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 2, 1999
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 22, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFIWI ON ;_; 25X1A2g
Sanitized - AppommtifiRTEIMMIE:pitotiPP82.0wjameomin
I Fi m el* i dig REL nur CD NO.
COUNTRY Getneny. (Western Zonoe)
'.73,JECT fleeting of the Zonal }CPD Dire
tlains
25X1A6a4
*CQUIRED
liTE OF INFO.
25X1X6
DATE DISTR. 13 Januarys 1949
NO. OF PAGES 2
25X1A2g
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1X6
1.
The KPD Zonni Directorate met at iqe office at Uferstrasse, Mainz, on 22 Novether
1948 to diocuss the result of the Ilheinlan&-Pfalz communal elections of 14
November 1948, and to receive new instructions concerning the general line:
and zonal policy of the KPD. Present were twelve members of the Zonal
Directorate, a number of top functionaries of the KPD in Rheinland-Pfala, and
two non-residents of Rheinland-Pfalo who were identified to the ?there only
as "Adolf" and "Fritz." "Adolffe accent indicated that he came from the Ruhr
area. He is about 6 ft. tall, approximately 43 years old, is well-dressed,
and years a.gold ring with a blue stone. Important zonal and land personalities
prenent were Niebergall, Prinz, Daumgrirt2er, Feller (former Minister of Heeenstruc-
tioa in Rheinlandf-Pfalz, now editor of the Communist paperamm lam), uraL
the KPD Land organization treaeuror known as "Wornee (probably an assumed nane,,
scurce.believes). "Werner" comes from eastern Germany. He has no fixed residence,
living cometimes with Prinz in Mainz/Monbach, sometimes with Baurgeartser in
Luawigshafen. He very often visits Prance. He has a DKW car of the Meisteerlasee
Aodel with a Hesse license number. .
2, Otto Niebergall spoke at the morning cession and evaluated the election resulte
for the KPD. He declared that the Zonal Directorate had counted on a decrease
in Communist votes and it was agreedbly uurprised that the Party could more
or less hold its position in the elections of 34 November 1942. He sharply
criticized the attitude of Raney Labmwhich, through a number of "stupid
articles", had repelled the voters instead of attracting them. The election
result, Nietergall said, has proved once more that the KPD under the given
conditions cannot count on being a huge nese movement, but must make every
? effort to develop into an outspoken cadre movement. Principal activity should
be shifted even more than before to the factories and enterprises, since a
careful analysis of election results shows that young workers in the enterprises
voted Communist in relatively high numbere. Niebergall violently criticized
the organizational and propagandistic work of a considerable number of local
groups; he said he had discovered that in many cases local functionaries had
neglected to distribute propaganda material which had boon delivered to them.
He also reproached the sub-district leaders with having failed to inform the
Zonal Directorate properly about popular opinion and reaction throughout the
zone and complained that his own attempts to activate the sub-districts and
local functionaries to improve their reporting to te Zonal Dire4torate have
failed. He concluded by pointing out the main lesson of the Rhainlande-Pfalz
elections: the Party there has lost its aleaning as a 03811 organization and in
the future mast distritute its functions differently than before.
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3. During Niebergall's speech a clash (mattered between him and W.. Feller, when
the latter interrupted Niebergall and reproached him for having dieorganized
the Party rather than having organised it. "Adolf" intervened and qpietedAhe
excitement caused ky Feller's interruption. After'Nietergall concluded his
speech, "Adolf' addressed the functionaries and stated that the Rheinland-
Pfalz election result, so far as the KM is concerned, is nornal under the
given conditions. Similar remits have occurred in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
He supported Niebergall's request to incream the development of (*cite ,
organizations. He explained that in future locally-known functionaries will
be entrusted with only overt functions and will work merely to increase
propaganda. All other Party functions and assignments will in future have to
be assumed by a limited number of absolutely reliable Party functionaries
not engaged in local work. There followed a discussion of the difficulties
of activating the work among the crews of factories and enterprises. "Fritz"
reproached the HheinlandaPfelz and zonal leadership with having failed to
advance social agitation in the factories and enterprises. The main object
of such agitation should be the creation and maintenance of unrest, dissatis-
faction; and a permanent psychosis of fear of an uncertain future among the,
-workers. This fear should be spread primarily among the younger workers,
through whom it would soon spread to older workers. ,
4. "Adolf", "Fritz", Niebergall? Prinz, Baumgartner, Feller, and the treasurer
"Werner" then retired to a closed meeting to deal with Party financial affairs.
The other functionaries were told by Niebergall only that pince a proper
accounting of the local groups and sub-districts and proper financial
relations between them and the Zonal Directorate have not been possible, the
whole financial organization of the Party would be changed.
5. In an afternoon session of the same group "Fritz" spoke on the situation in
wedtern Germany. He struck a new n6te Which may be of importance for the
general attitude of the Kap since, Source feels; apparently "Fritalse position
In the Party is higher than zonal level. He said that the Comnunists in the
French Zone have reason to expectsiciend support from the French CommOnits;
he did not specify the nature of such aid. He farther declared that the
French Zone Coaruniste should consider their tone as a Dart of wedge, against
expansion of American influence in western Germany and western Europe, and he
requested the assembled functionaries to decrease their eagerness with respect
to a trizonal merger. Communists in the French Zone would of course not expect
popular understanding and support if they openly pointed out these conditions.
Therefore, they should subtly point out in press and propaganda that keeping up
the zonal borders would make easier the fight against the capitalistic policy
and economy of the-biaonal Frankfurt aOrtirietration. Maintaining the French
zonal borders would also prevent penetration by the Americans of the police
organization - both French and German - in the zone. The French police in the
zone now is inefficient and penetrated with Gaullist elements of whom some are
still in contact with Communists because of their former cooperation in the
resistance movement. For all'of these reasons the Communists would have much
more influence on the development of western Europe and would be in better
position to strengthen their ties with the Communint Party of France, if the
French Zone were kept out of the trizonal combination.
6. There wan no discussion of "Frites" remarks. 'Feller interrupted him at one point
to ask how the French Zone Communists could possible assimilate this new zonal
policy with their past attitude. "Fritz" brushed away Feller's objection ?by
aeking, "Since when have Commniats been concerned about their past attitude?"
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