762B.00/10–1654: Telegram
No. 778
The Acting Director of the Berlin
Element, HICOG (Knight) to the
Office of the United States High
Commissioner for Germany, at Bonn1
281. From EAD. Since end of August we have been gradually getting pieces of info from German and American sources that Sov “advisors” have been installed in GDR functional ministries. We now have sufficient confirmation …to report following facts:
- 1.
- “Advisors” have been installed in GDR ministries for finance, railroads, agriculture, construction, and machine construction. They operate at ministry level and in two known cases down to main department echelon.
- 2.
- “Advisors” are experts in their technical ability as far as can be judged now. Ministries have received average of three advisors each.
- 3.
- Interior Ministry and State Secretariat for State Security continue to have large number Soviet advisors as before.
- 4.
- There is no confirmed info that Soviet HICOM Bezirke representations, dissolved last June with reduction Soviet HICOM, have been given new titles and remain in Bezirke.
Establishment six Soviet Consulates (Erfurt, Leipzig, Karl-Marx-Stadt, Magdeburg, Rostock and Frankfurt/order) confirmed so far. They could serve as local govt control agency but we have no evidence.
Comment.
- a)
- Above facts indicate form of Soviet control of East German Govt has shifted since Soviets granted sovereignty to GDR last March 25. Previously Soviets exercised supervision of Govt with large staff Soviet experts who did paper screening and made spot checks on Ministries from headquarters of Soviet HICOM in Berlin/Karlshorst. Apparently total size Soviet HICOM staff has been reduced. However, indirect supervision of Govt now replaced by actual participation Soviet experts in GDR Ministries. This could mean increased rather than decreased Soviet hold on GDR Govt.
- b)
- Also possible Soviet advisors installed to assure stability and increase competence of GDR Govt. On basis currently available info, including analysis of competent GER experts, we believe SED Central Committee and Secretariat not well enough staffed with technicians, who are both politically reliable and competent, to exercise necessary controls and supervision over GDR Govt. This opinion would tend to support conclusion Soviet experts needed to keep Govt on tracks.
- c)
- Whether a or b above actual Soviet motive, installation Soviet advisors indicates further trend toward GDR conformity with other satellites and toward further integration into Soviet Bloc.
We do not believe overt moves re de jureGDR integration into Sov Bloc likely yet due to: importance of German unity issue for Soviet political purposes, especially as influential playing card against effectuation West German integration into NATO; and to current effectiveness of Soviet peace offensive.
- Repeated to Washington, London, Paris, and Moscow; the source text is the copy in Department of State files.↩