PURGE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE DDR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005000250004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 19, 1999
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 8, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION =or ;1:01"Tnu - U. OFFICIAL- CCU 0 -090,f
Approved For %wilt kreti.acio ggikt9:41(WP82-004kPIVOT4t0
iNFORMATION REPO T CD NO. 25X1A2g
DATE DISTR, JUN 50
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Germany (Russian Zone)
Purge of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the DDR
25X1A6a
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
The first indication of an impending purge within the DDR Ministry
of Foreign Affairs as contained in a speech given 29 April 1950
by Florin, chief of the Ministry's Political Affairs Department, in
honor of the "International Labor Day" (I May). The speeeh lasted
nearly two hours and culminated in awarding the "activist" title
(and 300, DM East) to 25 persons, 1.e., to every feurth employee of
the Ministry. Florin's theme was "Watchfulness", . against "the im-
perialistic Anglo-American spy and betrayer 'fthe laboanng elass"
rho is "lying just outside the door to .receive with open arms" those
who are not on guard_ or are weak or indifferent. The speech in-
cluded the usual Communist slogans: "Fight for Peace", "Fight
against the war-mongering Anglo-Saxons", "Devote yourself to the
great protector of the world's progress, the Soviet Union, which
created a new society, new production records and is leading the
world in new inventions, new art and new literature." "Devote your-
self to the great leader, the genius Stalin.' Florin concluded
with a call for the elimination of indifference and apathy and for
initiation of ever greater watchfulness and 'activism."
2, During the first week of Nay it became evident that Florin's speech
was not merely a routine reiteration of slogans, but was to become
the basis for practical application of the policies contained in
the speech, In the beginning of lay Rudolf Helmer, a member of
the School Section and chief of the "Ainistry's SED Shop Group, in-
formed individual employees of the Ministry that he and the SED
which he represents will see to it that no anti-SED sentiments and
actions and no bourgecis laxity are tolerated. He summarily dis-
missed (fru) Kautz who had openly. prided himself on his political
Indifference. He also subjeeted (fnu) lleusel of the legal depart-
mentl an L'ED maember, to a public reprimand for the latterns failure
to participate in discussions .and self-criticism during the SED
Shop Group meetings Helmer, in his reproach to Meusell stressed
the fact that while a. non-party member may be praised for his work
and awarded the title of "activist", much more is expected of the
party member, who must daily prove his activism. Meusel was ,qarned.
that unless he improves he will be subjected to disciplinary action
by the party.*
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This document Is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL In accordance with the
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In his talks with individual employees, Helmer reminded them that
they should always be cautious in their conversations outside the
office, should, with the. exception of those who must pass through
it on their way to and from the :linistry, avoid going to 'Nest
9erlin, and that each of them should observe the actions and words
of his friends and fellow-workers and report all violationS As
a result of Helmer's warning all employees are now expected to ect
as voluntary informers: only thus can they demonstrate their "demo-
cratic" sentiments and he certain of retaining their positions
LL, Although several politically indifferent non-SED employees will
doubtless be dismissed from the 711nistry in the next few weeks,
the real purge will be directed against the non-activist S7D mem-
bers in the hope that the purified SED element will act as a
catalyst on the whole linistry.
25X1X.6 It is a well known feet that the 71inistry of
Foreign Affairs is "contaminated" by bourgeois personnel broueht
into the 7inistry inadvertently or by design by the CDU 'anister.
No one has expected that such a state of affairs would be allmed
to continee indefinitely. That it was permitted to exist until
now was doubtless based on the SED National Front policy requiring
support (or at least non-resistance) from the remnants of the
Soviet zone bourgeois parties (CDU and LDP). Now, however, due
to Dertineer's de facto defection to the SED, the Central Secretariat
of the ZED evidently feels that it can initiate a purge of the un-
desirable persons in the 71inistry without seriously interfering with
the National Front unity policy
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005000250004-9