Manfred Dott (english)

Hinweis: Das Leben von Manfred Dott ist hier in englischer Sprache abgefasst

Manfred Dott was born 30 October 1940 in Koblenz. He is a former German politician and a graduate civil engineer, and as State Secretary in the Ministry of Transport of the Government of the East German Prime Minister Lothar de Maizière of 18 March 1990 to 3rd October belonged 1990th. He told in the subsequent text, known as Open Letter, excerpts from his life as a witness of the turning point and reunification.

His address is: Alte Straße 5, 06502 Thale OT Altenbrak, Germany.

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1     1.Childhood experiences

Koblenz: 1942 and 1943 - the father on the Eastern Front. Bombs struck a near our house. A huge bang and the church between our house and the Rohrerhof School in Koblenz-Metternich was a shambles. We had to leave so, from this danger zone. We have a farm in Kleinurleben, a small village in Thuringia near Bad Tennstedt assigned to the how the war planners thought the bombers would not care as long as the cities are in part.

With the mother and family 1943, we were therefore evacuated from Koblenz eastward into Thuringia. Than three years I can remember in fragments of a conversation my mother with a man in Nazi uniform. This man said to the mother, do you really struggle with their three children in the evacuation. We could relieve you of the little ones there. Your girls can indeed tackle already. The evacuation will be not so difficult. My mother said no, the only heir to the family Dott, the small Manfred I take with me. Here I was probably the first time in the life of happiness and I could barely function. Providence was not finished with me. After an adventurous journey, we arrived at our assigned Evakuierungsort.

So then we lived in the family farm Steukart, just off the village main street on the first floor in one room. The mother, two older sisters, blonde, and put his heart and soul in the BDM, the girls' organization in the Hitler government, whose main task should be to the reproduction of the Aryan race in Germany safely. Since my sisters still very young and had no vision and they go for anything else, I can blame them not.

One day in summer, I heard men shouting and loud groaning and the tramp of many people. Quickly, I was at the window looking out onto the main road, before my mother mitbekam that. Naively, I asked Mother, "what is it?". Instead of me explaining that I was beaten with the words, "stay away from the window in the future." Only later, back to Koblenz and back to 1945, told me one of my sisters, that what I saw, probably a death march of Jews, was in the nearby concentration camp Buchenwald. In any case, these experiences through my early childhood was marked. This was despite the risks a little adventure. Good thing I was able to capture not as deeply and comprehensively the whole.

With 5 years ago I was sent to school because there was nothing to eat at home, through the school feeding at least we got sick of home. This would result in learning, I am beginning to have more difficulties than other students, no one came up with this idea. I was smaller than many students of my class and also got beaten from time to time in the corner, who could not see the teachers of the break-time supervision.

Therefore condemned as a late starter, I also provided a context for learning for life following her later. At home, I hung around, made some nonsense and annoyed my sisters learned the hard for the middle school, that mother could not pay the school fees and sisters struggling with a very good grade point average for the review had freedom.

A great alternative, the St. George Scouts, where I spent ten years as a member. From Wölfling to a knight. We marched in step Scouts (which is alternately walking and running) in step and in step walking. We sang songs to the beat. Including: Glotz, Glotz Glotz leg how long is the road, right next ne ne poplar poplar in the mid-`a horse apple. We realized it did not think we were stretching many miles. We learned to play guitar and sang country songs and walking up and down. In the grounds we play in the forest were often exposed to in the night and left there until the next morning. We learned so that you in the woods when one is hiding and are silent, is safer than in the sea of a city. I am also once ended up in the dark in an ant hill, I remember to this day. Very often we have these so-called scouts scouting games in Brexbachtal and between the Castle and the Castle Elz Trutzelz performed. This basically vormilitäriche drill, was the founder of the Boy Scouts, Baden Powell, the British probably intends Sun This explains the history of these Lords to which I do not want to go into detail here. But that was so packed that it made a lot of fun.

The older I became, the stronger was the desire to pass real adventures. I headed straight to the almost to disaster.

My apprenticeship in Koblenz at Clemens Road 16 and my parents' retraining in Construction Management, are characterized by the practice to achieve my professional goals with minimum effort. Never spend all and always keep a reserve, were my principles. This gave me enough room for my dreams of a big wide world. My boyfriend wanted me to emigrate to Canada. We had our papers ready and wanted to go. He went and I stayed. Although I did not wanting in courage, something held me firmly here in Koblenz.

In addition to these impressions, and this life experience I had at that time a strong sense of justice.

2     2. Rebel

1945/1946 we lived in a house again, we had to leave before the evacuation, in Koblenz Metternich Rohrerhof. Meanwhile, my father came back from captivity. He was also influenced by his experiences and transported some to the family. As the only boy I listened to him like when he sang Russian songs and to play harmonica. Finally, he had experienced something and survived. I peppered him with questions, what do the Russians in their country for so different from us. My father, from today's perspective, rather apolitical, it did not explain really what my curiosity even more accelerated. Until he said: "If you want to know, then go to a Mr. Ewing in Wahlsweg. He's Communist who can tell you the best and now let me alone. "So I went to the Lord in Wahlsweg in Koblenz Metternich, diagonally opposite the apple cider Edel. On the way there, I went so some of the head. Is this right what I have here. In the newspapers, on television and radio, we are still a popular person in the kitchen, with a swastika on it, was constantly flailed on the Soviet Union and the Eastern Zone around. It was all bad, what came from there. Is not it enough if my world view based on this information, that's enough other people so why should I, of penetrating deeper into the matter? If for me to become something, then I have to do with the end of this curiosity. I was so addressed in my mind that I was shocked when my aunt from the road Rübenach me. You stumble over your own feet, even if you like Hans Look into the air passes through the area. I was excited. It crept up in me a little weird. I felt instinctively that my life could take a radical change, if I continued. For a moment I stood still. Should I not cancel my plan and turn it. But then I'd never find what I want so much to know. And by the way at the St. George Scouts I learned to research and explore what there was referring mainly to the plants and animals. But now it was political. This was new. What can happen to me even when I go to the Communists Ewing and ask him about communism. Nothing really. So I went ahead and had decided for me this lack of knowledge about Mr. Ewing concluded. There were about 50 meters to the house of the Communists. Many cars were parked outside the house. This could have several reasons, all of which were with the Lord Newing House? Oh well. A jerk and I rang the bell. Mr Newing came to the door and asked suspiciously what I wanted to do. I asked him straight out, I should also pack differently, whether he plays me could provide information about Communism, Russia and the Eastern Zone. He looked at me angry and said that is not east zone, but East Germany. Then he asked me why I get this question because of all to him. I honestly told him that my father had told me that Mr. Ewing knew more than he did about Russia, Communism, and the Ostz "Sorry, the GDR," I said, I must remember me. This does not happen again. Since he knew my father, his distrust vanished something, and he sent me away with the remark that I should come to him the next day, then he could take time to answer my questions. The KPD was banned some time and only illegal could meet the comrades. Cigarette smoke poured out of a room and men there, I only hear but were not able to see. Now I could explain to me why so many cars were parked outside the house. had grown later than a certain confidence to Mr. Ewing, I learned that I was into it burst into illegal Communist Party meeting. Later I learned then that has not yet decided on this evening there, take me on no account should the KPD. to all comrades to me to be extra careful. My parents house was too bourgeois. The mere question of the primitive communism of the East Zone and was an insult for the comrades. At this time I knew no better. My father had just passed by the Chamber of its builders had become self-examination and with a construction company. Father Maurer two teams together. He had masons and laborers, known as henchmen, and was set to pure communist doctrine exploiters. The adventure had me packed and it was now time to do "in" something forbidden. The next day I went back to the way the Lord Ewing. It was easier than the day before. Thoughts about to turn around came, not me. The times were no cars in front of the door. Now I stood with Mr. Ewing on the mat and rang. He took me into the house. Very friendly he was, his wife brought the coffee and then he told me what he meant by communism. Mr. Ewing was able to explain clever, why the West German mass media acted as anti-communist. He said "the fear that too many people are set against the Federal Republic, when they learn the facts about the solidarity and unity of the classes in the East What he said sounded so beautiful as this and so just, that one might believe that people are such a life in the situation. He dismissed me and gave me the book "Das Kapital", "The Communist Manifesto and some print works of Lenin. Something better but it can not give, as to live together in peace and solidarity with others and share everything. The trap had been sprung so. I read diligently the works and bought yet given themselves to that. I am interested now is dialectical materialism. I was busy with and got the recommendation from the CP group, even in the industry see as workers, as the reality. Who exactly is behind the recommendation to me at the time was not clear. In comparison with the contents of the literature of Marx and Engels, and to what Mr. Ewing interpreted this was hell. At this time I thought that was in Russia and East Germany all put into practice what to read and I got to hear.

I went to the union. At that time the IG Chemie paper ceramics. I was elected shop steward and bargaining committee for the Rheinland Pfalz. The trade union committees were staffed mainly by social democrats. Who always wanted to make compromises. But one must understand both sides of the negotiating parties. Since I, as a Communist but not entirely alone in the union was uncompromising and we urged the Social Democrats more consistent approach to employers, we had time and again success. Above all, our conclusion was well received by colleagues and our choice functions were safe as works councils and shop stewards. So a starting careers left. Meanwhile I was in the basic unit of Communist Party in Koblenz integrated so that I knew from the Communist Party members to Asterstein Moselweiß. Even small things I could do for the comrades or transport times from our city to another city or to another base unit. One tested my reliability. I could be because of my middle-class family no Communist Party member, did not bother me that I made up for in activity. Meanwhile, the ADF was founded, a communist party replacement to the communists of the Communist Party had to choose something. For this party parliamentary candidate for the area of Koblenz they had chosen me. But a chance to present posters and flyers.

3     3. The reflection begins

For the first time and very carefully, I realized that were pulled in behind the scenes from East Germany. As if we, the Communists in the Federal Republic, would be independent, so I made when I did not notice that. But I felt somehow observed. That was incompatible with my absolute freedom of thought. More about this Eastern zone, to experience the so-called East Germany, was my next destination. Not only hear from others about it, but even I wanted to see to this system, when is it better in the Federal Republic to have better arguments. Since my invitation was a study in the GDR just right. Here, too, I got some very strange. The invitation was forwarded to me by a CP comrades verbally. On demand for me if he could as easily invite to the GDR, he said to me that is already put through all that I should not ask so many questions. If you do not want to go, then you have to say that. Then I take that back. Then I realized that I had touched a neuralgic point, namely the Compounds of the GDR and their influence in the West German Communists, I took my question back. Finally, I burned out so that the GDR times even to take a look. He also said that it should go to Bad Sarov. Meanwhile I was married and had two children. The whole family to come with. The flight to Berlin Tempelhof was already booked there and back and money for our daily need, we also received in advance. What the GDR makes everything possible. That was very nice. I asked, but already Who would do anything for free. Do I need to do about something behind it? In any case, We drove a taxi from the airport to West Berlin Friedrichstrasse station. We went in there to the border crossing point. We all had no immigration documents. I said my name, Manfred Dott with family in Koblenz. After a moment a man came up to us, took us aside and welcomed us warmly. He knocked on the wall and it went on a door that one of West Berlin side could not recognize it as such. We went with the comrades into a dark corridor. This strange underground passage led out of control on the East German side. As we left the hall a sentry stood legs apart in front and saluted the man in civilian clothes of us had done. Welcome to the bottom of the East said this brought us into a black Volga. This vehicle took us to Scharmützelsee. The Volga-driver probably had the instruction not to talk to us. I wanted to be polite and spoke to him on the road a few times. He answered in monosyllables. I should remember well that he was not one of our contact people There, at Scharmützelsee, we came to a luxurious holiday home conditions for DDR, far away from Bad Sarov. Very nice beach vacation was, but from the real existing socialism, I had seen nothing. Or was the real existing socialism? Was it perhaps all the people as much as we here at the holiday hotel. The people who were in the home with us and with which we were sometimes brought together, were all stramme communists, determined by their bondage in the Third Reich had very good career opportunities were.

One thing I noticed right now that between the Communists in the FRG and the GDR were those worlds.

The Communists in West Germany had to rebel, stirring up trouble and to call on the unions and the left wing of the Social Democrats. The communists of the GDR had to work, to spy and to secure their systems. And we all should have the same goals? I was clear: The pure Marxist doctrine, it was only on paper but not in practice. Whether that was possible with humans?

For the first time I had to make compromises for me. I explained this to mean that by the constant barrage of Western media against the eastern zone, the Soviet Union and all that smelled only after communism and socialism are the eastern states to a special security force to defend their system and their so-called achievements. So I had my inner voice that urged caution, silenced, and I could go on as before. We were out of the DDR holiday as back down, as we had come. Using the Volga to the Friedrichstrasse station through the underground corridors to West Berlin and with pilots from Tempelhof to Frankfurt am Main. There we had displayed our car. Back in Koblenz I pulled myself back to the sub-hiking boots and had brought some industrial company into severe difficulties. But such criticism as before I was no more. Also by the criticisms of the GDR, I was the system of the Federal Republic is not sympathetic. I stretched my feelers out now beyond the borders of Koblenz and supported demos of extra-parliamentary opposition (APO) in other cities. I was also on local demonstrations of APO in Frankfurt am Main with it. Today many famous people from politics and society, I have met there, a similar development behind them. The system challenge, Provoke, adventure, young people with the same or similar goals to get to know. This was a time of absolute freedom. But inside, I asked myself often asked to do something for the youth in the GDR, like to live not like us. The young people there in the East, although not the same desires as us. What if there is a young man as restless as we are critical of the system is here. What about him. How, then, the GDR state responded. All took advantage of back and forth nothing. Even if I had gone inside of me in proper distance from the GDR state and its practical life. The fight against the West German system nothing has changed. All that remained of the East German leadership not hidden and I was by then in their eyes, you can say, pupil of the 5th Column. After considering my educational background I should do an internship in particular, industrial firms to take on success, a study in the GDR. A large company in Koblenz, located in the industrial area, which still sells the press there, had no Staff Council. This struck me as just right, I gathered a few comrades in arms around me and demanded the establishment of a works council, and summoned me to the Works Constitution Act of the Federal Republic. If I am elsewhere, Federal law only slightly interested, here they use once and then I called me on it. The works were given the colleagues and I flew out without notice, as did not help the process obtained from the Koblenz court work. This naturally pleased the DDR connection people and my pre-qualification was as good as gone. So I got an enrollment for the Karl Marx University in Leipzig, with branch office in Berlin.

4     4. Wild East studies

My family rarely saw me and my freedom was boundless, the family of my first marriage, my wife and my children, Anja and Elke Heike remained in Koblenz and I went to study in the East to East Berlin. The family remained in Koblenz was supported by a relatively high monthly payments in DM from the GDR. A visit to Koblenz, I seldom came. There was us students and therefore to me there for nothing. In Berlin with my fellow students viewed high, we tasted this privilege also. Finally, we should feel as comfortable as possible. Anyone out there had found a girlfriend, which could leave as me once. From a walk on the Alexanderplatz S-Bahn back, so you had to look something else than just the classroom and the boarding school. It was still early in the day, about 20 ° ° Clock. Actually, I still wanted to prepare for an exam, which was scheduled the next day. My fellow student, a young man from Hamburg, was already in the room. He wanted, as he said on the day not merely to Berlin. Who received me at the door. "Scare not" he said. "Why" I asked. "Look, your bed," he said. My bed was in a corner directly below the window. I went a step forward and looked long black hair on my pillow. It was where they stripped a girl and pretty as a picture. I estimated she was probably between 25 and 35 years old. The mine has devious first language. I know still do not know if my fellow student they had before me. I did not ask. In any event, my fellow student said, "bitch is not around and jump on the bed," I did not. Before I said anything, I thought at first after sometime. Our boarding object was fenced and guarded. It was only through an entrance in and out. The outcome was only possible with our special pass. Although we knew the security guards had to constantly look at our ID cards. Especially in the object they came only when showing off his badge. That was me all through my head. At least, in the presence of the girl I wanted my students not ask about the circumstances. There was a saying that one had heard in other contexts before, especially if they had understood something no matter what or if it seemed incomprehensible, "The party will already have some thinking." throw the girl out just so I would not. But it may well be only with the blessing of the school administration or the state security came in the object. It is safe to report after at least verbally, as you visit has gone with me. Surely they should explore in addition to sexual satisfaction, any preferences. I was so scared that I think at that moment I had with her not able to sleep. But there was my fellow student in the room. The noticed my hesitation. Like an impotent half-man, I would not stay here too. What to do. The girl was still lying in my bed. Suddenly she said: "if you will finally come to bed" I noticed at the time of anything other than my fellow students to ask "are you going to get away for half an hour," Later, I would want to sleep alone in my bed. He grinned and left. I locked the door from inside and said softly to the very pretty child, come out of the bed and dress up. She said, "I might get in trouble if I did not sleep with you" I said to her, "but no one has the experience," or will we be heard? Not that I know, "she said," You do not need to know .. I said softly into her ear, "you're saying out loud, oh, does well, hold me tight" They said then. Afterwards you can not prove that nothing was. She got up out of bed and came out. As there were now placed my first fright and I saw them so before me, I was quite strange to mute. But then I thought of yet, the Stasi is to have my kind of sex do not know. Then I could not help but have a question for the girl. "Why did you do that, we know each other but not at all" Did you sit in your hand, you have a somewhere and come out the past if you do well here. Then she did not answer me. Surely she was afraid I could talk about it afterwards and then they would really anger. I could not get enough of the beautiful figure of the girl. She had to stay still something in me, that is not our deal was uncovered. After about 20 minutes, I dismissed them. Meanwhile she had slipped back into her skintight jeans and walked away. She went as they had come. She was gone. My classmate came after half an hour back in and asked with a grin, "threw fine," "yes yes" I said and did for the rest of the study period no such experience at boarding school again. Although we did not notice, you have to have our students well monitored closely. We should have everything, but we bind not fixed. It was only a temporary stay.

Even with all the feel-good strategy, I realized that there were two widely auseinanderklaffende social groups in the GDR. What if everything is correct, as we learned in our social science studies, have legitimate cause unrest. That is lawful for all societies. But not for socialism, for here indeed is the exploitation of man by man eliminated and there is no classes, our professor said. Sometimes I thought, what can tell because the do not believe it himself. One thing I learned from this study also that not everything can say what you think. At least for me was that the class difference in the GDR also has legitimate cause unrest.

These thoughts I keep to myself beautiful, but now I had often enough opportunity to know the average person from East Germany to learn. We made the evening Ostklubs uncertain, preferably, the house of the young talents and the October Club to the Kino International. With our many special ways we got into it.

At that time, my present wife in Berlin. She served her apprenticeship as a Nurse at the Charité. An activist convinced FDJ, which make it to the Head had taken the personal security group for the American Angela Davis at the tenth World Festival in Berlin. On this basis, we had know each other. We saw it more often and out of friendship, a deeper relationship. Although we tried to disguise it, got the security of the people with it. This was also in the university announced. When that was in the running of the university around, I had to study almost behind me. My girlfriend and I agreed that we stay together. Our professor, I say this, of course, not yet. After I got my diploma, I opened the Uni-line that I wanted to take my girlfriend to the West in order to marry. As my professor had to take before anything else happens along, not to rumble going on. With us Western students in East Berlin you had to work around a bit more cautious yes. Finally, we should immediately recruit in the Federal Republic for the achievements of the GDR.

First, I was in East Berlin, a party order that the separation had orders from my girlfriend to content. So far I had really bad excuses and all the unusual activities of the East German regime and its security interest. But where that interest was violated by our wish to marry? The GDR's practice of pure doctrine collapsed like a house of cards. More and more I realized what the GDR was, in fact, not a dictatorship of the proletariat, but the dictatorship of the Chunta Wandlitz.

5     5. The belief changes

The stronger the GDR authorities exerted pressure on both of us to solve our relationship, the more and the closer we moved together. Meanwhile, the GDR had set the monthly payments to my family in Koblenz. Even with this pressure should be trying to take me to influence to end the relationship in the GDR. This pressure fell flat because Elke Dott, my first wife, now also had a friend who took care of the family. The marriage was beyond saving, and I give them the greater sin. My friend introduced now for an exit visa on the grounds of wanting to marry me in the Federal Republic. Now they also made the experience with their so-called "homeland GDR." The first thing my wife has been excluded from the SED. This happened in her home town .. She had come to the SED district leadership, the Richard Wagner was in the street in the town of Halberstadt. There she was, by the district chairman Winkler, the main culprit because I did not work as intended in the West for the GDR. I could not be there waiting for her outside the house. My friend came out in tears. They had done their comrades ready. Around the same time I was on the instructions of the SED, in Rhineland Palatinate excluded from the DKP. That was actually a painless act that I was also opposed. My wife now made the experience that had to do before and after her many people who wanted to leave their DDR. Pressure on the job, pressure in the private sphere into the very family that were rehearsed in dealing with narios exit visa offices in the GDR. Defamation and humiliation to break their will.

Since I had it easier but in the Federal Republic, it is nobody cared about my affairs, so as in a free country just the way it is. Here I was not happy the first time the captors of the East German state should be available. After mutual consent was my first show and divorced in Koblenz This was mainly due to our long separation time. Now I began my power to support my friend in the GDR. Every weekend I went transit to West Berlin and then from there with day pass to enter East Berlin to see her. As I now estimate also remained the GDR state security is not hidden. First, that my former comrades in Koblenz further reported that I was there every weekend in East Berlin with my girlfriend and secondly, I'm at a transit journey, fell asleep on a DDR parking for several hours, leading to a rigorous examination on the West Berlin border. This meant that not go on. We played through a lot of plans for escape and again rejected it. We wanted to be sure that none of us because of flight from the republic, or to aid in GDR prisons locked away. It really was the great love of all the difficulties notwithstanding. The separation between my first marriage we had the kids divided each one has brought in its new environment. My former wife Heike and the little I slightly larger Anja, Anja My daughter had a tough time from there. Short time in the Catholic home in Koblenz Arenberg, then with relatives, and then me. From then on she was always and everywhere with it.

6     6. Imprisonment in the reception center

As I become the real GDR, the real life there, quite well known and my friend gave me the proposal, but settled in the GDR with the words, "we can everywhere be happy," thought I did not straight away to Just like always with the car on the transit route to West Berlin. My daughter Anja with it. In Magdeburg, we went easy on the transit route and to Magdeburg in, up to a national police force. There, I signed up with the words "I want my daughter to move to East Germany. As easy as I imagined my, that was not. One night we sat in a separate locked room. A telephone call replaced the next. The next day we were taken to Barby, near Magdeburg, and my car was recovered. There, in a refugee camp, we were just told us, the disinfection and quarantine locked in a room. The hum of any machine behind the wall was scary. Although I thought about radiation, I told myself, you must by now we, half way you can not stand still, without surrender be on. It was night and it was daylight again they brought something to eat. It was night again and days. This went on for three days. To the poor child with no thought. I tried to cushion the child over to the ordeal somewhat. But we came out there but in a room in the building. The heater in the ancient building was broken and our radiators cold. We put on thick, trying to the so- Connector end. Then I had to make drawings of the premises in which I had last worked. Also machines and equipment should the same arrangement I record. My daughter Anja meanwhile played in the grounds of the camp and was one of the rats that burying itself at the Elbe, which flows past there. She was with me in the reception camp prisoner and not come out. It did hurt to answer your questions, so we must be in the camp and can not figure out. From a distance they saw children from the village of Barby play and romp around. My daughter had no one in the camp at her age she could play with. Due to this detention camp, she could not go a year in school. What should be the only child when she goes back to school. They get access. Or will completely detached. The interested but by the camp staff anyone. It was opened to me that a receiving process can take about a year and as long as I could and leave the little girl's home in the receiving direction GDR. A right of return, in the Federal Republic, we have yet to come. We needed only to say that we wanted to go back. Since you once saw how little we charge for the Manfred knew Dott. I was accustomed to go to a course once over. Although once a shot to the back went. That's life sometimes. The home superiors, acting in close coordination with the Stasi, had no idea that the last sympathies to the DDR system were trampled and I would be or a possible return to the Federal Republic, a determined opponent of the so-called real existing socialism . That was not socialism, not communism. For what man is doing well, you have to protect not with brute force, the wall and shooting instruction as border security .. In reality the GDR was a dictatorship of a class of intellectuals would like to mention outstanding Mielke, who with his stupidity that he was not even aware of itself, a classic example of the East German leaders gave. This intelligence beasts, who, intoxicated by your power, even persuaded the vanguard of the working class to be ruled East Germany. And woe to those who would deny that. I stayed with my daughter there in the camp and wrote and received letters from my girlfriend. We make each other courage and requested a visit for them in reception centers. In the whole year, was allowed only once, 15 minutes in a basement in Barby under guard by the People's Police. At least the guards had such a uniform on. Because I did not want to jeopardize my admission request, because that was the last chance to get together with my girlfriend, I offered myself as a heater in the host's home. Old plants of a low-pressure steam heating system was broken again and again, I had trouble, the blame due to the outdated technology. Under no circumstances should it look like sabotage. After six months in the home I was in the tractor plant in Schönebeck work at Magdeburg. For this I had to but the bus by the host's home in Barby go to Schönebeck. In order not to let it look like a prisoner transport, always drove in at least one companion with a civilian. Among other things, with such non-productive tasks ensured the GDR its full employment. In the tractor factory, I worked under guard in the feed material for the tractor ZT 300th This went on without me noticed negative, a full year. After that year, to me that I will be released on a trial basis to Halberstadt Harz. My FRG-cards you have applied to them at events to give me back and deport me. This then excessive caution of the system towards me I run back to the fact that the GDR-school student on what I had in the Federal Republic of organized against the state and pulled, were afraid that this political power could even turn against them, as later should really come. So I got a residence permit for the town of Halberstadt, without being allowed to leave. We were not married still. The attitude and belief of my friend and I had the East German system of anti-communism is now turned into hatred. But we were first living together in an old apartment in the city. The ultimate goal of my partner not to be separated, we had still not reached. That was the time my son was when a former city forced, Halberstadt, co-founder of New Forum, Jens Reich, according to his biography, from the Soviet Academy of Sciences in the Forschunsaufenthalt Puschtschinow in Moscow. It is already well and is logical that we both later, although entered in the same 10.Volkskammer with different consequences and different contents and principles Veränderengen in the GDR. The people, the people In the GDR, no half-measures wanted more. Therefore, they chose the fighters of the first stage of peaceful revolution, Alliance 90 / NF, but not in the 10 People's Parliament, as they had expected. .

7     7.Persönliches luck

My friend, Edith Goerke mean, from the West brought daughter Anna and I lived, so now in an old town house in a backyard Halberstadt. From the outside, the house was near the expiration, as so many old buildings outside the town centers in the GDR. Inside, we had furnished our flat but beautiful. Leaving the city, was allowed only my girlfriend with DDR identity card. I just had this permanent residence document for the town of Halberstadt. My daughter and I were allowed to move only in the city radius. We were in front at times like goats that have been tied, and erode the one neat circle, even though their connection is beyond the better food. My friend has tried to cover these state restrictions. Nevertheless we were very happy. Now I know what my friend meant when not on their approved application to emigrate to me in the West, she said, "we can be happy anywhere." So you come over here, so bad that is not already. If we had known what we have in all the flourishes of the model state workers and peasants. But we knew it, thank God at that time yet. My daughter went to camp a long break back to school. A few weeks ago, they needed to return to the port related to the substance of their age group. After a year she was top of the class was and High school (EOS) Proposed. Since we were still held at the short reins of city residency by the GDR authorities, and not allowed to marry, we had to be very careful in our behavior to the outside. This was especially so in the companies in which we worked. Now I know by my secret police file shows that my house was bugged with microphones and special sound-ended written documents written in my Stasi file. Was it real or did any suspicion that the Stasi district headquarters bigwigs indulge their sadism. I must not be ashamed that we were working diligently at this time to have a baby. We would have preferred married. That would fit rather well to our Christian faith. But we were not even read. When the road was visible coming, they had probably a show. One morning we were an official letter from the Council of the district of Halberstadt delivered by a receipt. We are excited to have before we had seen purely in the official letter. If we were separated again, even before we were married? Did we in the West back, my daughter and me. A life without my girlfriend, I could not imagine. We went to full voltage the letter and found an invitation to a ceremony at the district council, Department of Home Affairs. It was there that I should become citizens of the GDR and that should happen in a formal ceremony. We were surprised that they wanted to raise the award of the East German citizenship so solemn. So we went through to the ceremony. Finally, it was to come back one step further to stay in our concern for life together. It was almost festive as our future wedding. No registry office would have done it better. A great document of the Council of Ministers from East Berlin over the awarding of the East German citizen I was there presented in the order. Then finally to lead to the desired GDR identity card. After so much restriction of movement seemed to me that when I was laid off with my girlfriend and daughter in the big wide world. My life partner worked at the hospital in Salvator Halberstadt and I as a plumber and electrician in the district of Construction Management in which I had joined the bill in the German-Soviet Friendship Association to promote the naturalization process. Now we finally were allowed to marry civilly. For the wedding many of our relatives came from East Germany. There were also my parents and my siblings from the Federal Republic. From Koblenz. Beautiful it was, once again hear the Schängeldialekt the Koblenz Rhine and Mosel. My mother in my family that I had the closest relationship asked me in a moment away from the other wedding guests, my Manfred did you do it all right and she wept bitterly. Had you not better Koblenz can stay. Mama do not cry as bad as you might think that here in East Germany indeed is not. As final as you think is not so. Just wait times from. With those that our lives are so hard to do here is still not finished. But now we are celebrating the first time wedding. "One more question," said mother and comes to your daughter Anja cope with the new life in this different environment? "Very well," I said. Sometimes I have the impression that they coped better than me. The new offspring, a daughter came, then soon the world. Now we had two children and were married now, we were ready to depart with our objective that we in the Federal Republic of Koblenz, could finally get serious.

8     8. Struggle to leave

We submitted our application to emigrate at the first joint council of the district of Halberstadt. From there we were once not know. This required my wife and I call on our respective superiors. We should be brought to reason. My wife lost her job and was first a unemployed in East Germany. Support they received not. I kept my low paying job. We placed the next exit visa and I had to pay in my business, no doubt about my attitude to the GDR regime. Everything I criticized the lack of material to plant management. In my environment, which was not very big, I could see the first results of my educational activities. I practiced for ever, what was to come.

Alternately presented to the Council of the district of Halberstadt and the People's Police District Office nineteen we leave requests and made no bones about it publicly. Thus our intention in the Federal Republic should not go unnoticed, we sent one copy to Koblenz to my parents and siblings. These forwarded the requests to leave a parliamentary deputy in Koblenz, which tried to help their channels.

That came in the GDR not good that a former staunch communist from Koblenz, the GDR, which he had voluntarily chosen as his residence, was about to leave again. That would hurt the communist movement in the West enormous. So could not be. So much pressure, discrimination and exclusion we have before and after never have to endure again. We were under great stress. With me, that was also felt organic. Twice I was admitted to the hospital. But we went. I wrote a big poster on the back and hung the wallpaper with a homemade solution "May First day of human rights around the world" out the window and went back to bed sick. It was not long before our house especially the window with the solution was photographed from all sides. The bell rang, my wife opened it. There were men in civilian clothes at the door, claiming to be detectives. My wife said. "My husband is sick and I can let in you not," was about to close when my wife's door, put one foot in the door, my wife pushed aside and was first focused on the window with the slogan, pulled her into the room and tore it up. , "Is sick in bed" "Where is your husband." .? "Where" "In the Bedroom" The door opened and I heard only: "Come along." "I can not use, I'm sick." Then I pulled one out of the bed and carried me downstairs to a parked car in front of the door. It should probably be directed at the May Day so little attention to this incident as possible. We went to Maiständen FDGB, the Confederation of East and past stands of block parties (including the CDU). The GDR and had just celebrated their sponsor companies while feeding bags, so-called feeding bag, which got the audience if they call for the May Day demonstration and their solutions, they had not even designed holding up. The banners were of their party the National Front, trade union or business organizations. As we drove past.

9     9. The interrogation

In the GDR VPKA (People's Police District Office) arrived, it went up the stairs to the first floor. I shuffled up the stairs. left and right next to me ever a cop or Stasi man in civilian clothes and I was barely weakened by a hunger strike two days, I stumbled up. Take a bit carried away, "said one," your acting, you can leave. " "Do they want this Assessment is not left to a doctor, my sickness may find reasonable doubt. "I said. I want them to call my family doctor. If you get a doctor, the district police doctor. Turmoil if the powerlessness against the oppression of I asked no more. What good A police doctor who has previously given his orders, which result, he has to certify. "net here! said one of guarding me and pushed me into a small room with a chair. Wait thou here Now I heard nothing for about 3 hours. I could not sit, so I lay down on the floor. The drafty room and my makeshift clothing led to Schüttelfrostanfällen. Then when someone finally looked at me, I asked for a fever knife if they already do not agree to my family doctor, then at least let me control my body temperature. That is not necessary, you come out here today, then you can back up to bed. But is the poster protest against our government, it surely still the guard said with a sardonic grin. Today you hang anything out, we make sure of. Now he was in uniform and another tall man, apparently and according to a police officer's uniform, and one could never be sure that no employee of the Stasi was, because that had for all cases and for all eventualities uniforms are available in the they could slip depending on the occasion and condition such as Chameleon inside. But they also had enough staff at the police, who constantly went on to work with local law enforcement for national security, particularly in the licensing authority for visitors to travel to the West. The man brought a chair for himself and shouted at me, "stand at last on the ground and set up there on the chair. Now it finally went off. At least something happened and I saw hope, ill as I was soon to come out of this unhealthy environment. He spread a plywood board with a clamp on his lap and stared into a writing pad. There was a desk in it the small room is not. Why this effort I asked. You surely have more convenient here in the house to hold a hearing by. That's up from nothing, as we do our work. As I slowly realized that was apparently the target, under the uncomfortable conditions possible for me to miss a lesson. I should like respectively. the energy for more protests to be taken. What was that with this poster campaign from your window. You know, that the solutions are given for the first of May. All solutions are approved immediately before the first of May in the voice of the people, our newspaper for the GDR district of Magdeburg, the institution of our district leadership of the Socialist Unity Party. Germany. Other than these slogans are not allowed. What have you against the slogan: "May 1 day of human rights worldwide," I personally do not, "the uniformed, but first, was not given this solution, and secondly, now everyone in your street, the Rudolf Breitscheidstraße and the adjacent Thomas Muenzer road what do you want to achieve with this action. And the rest of us are given not only solutions but also the locations and places where these solutions as or may not be appropriate - banners or banners carried. But you had with the 1st Mai can go along and move your company may have a solution, for example, "Making Peace with NATO weapons," or "we salute our comrades of the Red Army's" stop, I said, let this nonsense. I can assume that you are in the period in which you have me locked up here, have found out that we are leaving the applicant. I would much rather have a solution out of the window would have been on the show, "let us leave at last in the FRG" But such a solution would you have indeed pulled down even faster. I was thinking that you can hang the solution for human rights a little longer at the window. What do you have against human rights. "Nothing," said the man in uniform as long as we define what is meant by human rights is to be understood. Really? I said. Then make a beginning now and let me go. "No," he said, so you can continue your fault the May holiday. But I'm sick and I can get pneumonia. I do not care. If you're not such an enemy propaganda would have done if you were not here. Now you have to live with the consequences. This is torture! Shall I show you what is torture, "said my opponent. The man in uniform with the special epaulets all eagerly wrote on his block on the Plain. I Can we at least call my wife to bring me something warm to wear, "I said. My wife do not even know where they have brought me there. She makes sure of great concern. you still get your wife back early enough. If it were me would you like for some time to disappear from the scene. But for me it's not unfortunately. "Now we are even to the point" with whom you have discussed this action. Did you perhaps one from the other side, where the order to make it that way and pretty effective on 1 Mai where everyone has free and celebrate in the streets. I have discussed with anyone but my sister in Koblenz is also informed of my refusal to take food to me. What to it, "said the uniformed, but you say that you are sick. How are you going without food to get well .. I hope so still and my wife with me, I said that we are to leave our family to Koblenz in the Federal Republic must. Then it goes with my health back up. Did you contact other applicants leave the GDR or in the city here. I said "Yes" Who is this That you must already own to find out if your not already know. I'm not sure if you have to run with your security people this scene already. But we may well be not care. Our open exit requests we are making no secret of our suggestion. "Give yes eight, that it does not violate our East German laws." Said the officer alleged. That it does not show with the law as seriously know that I'm not even worthy of being addressed as "you from them. As you notice the construction of a law being broken certainly not difficult, "I said. If you want to lock away us, please do so. They may be afraid from the public in the Federal Republic? For example, imagine a headline in the newspaper Bild, "West German Communist GDR sits in jail" or something? One thing you can not prevent what happened here with us, our family experiences and current politicians in Germany. How do we get this information to the right place, we have since learned. The policeman was not comfortable in his skin. I felt an uncertainty in its behavior. As I sat still for once. Do they know that they bear a great responsibility here and now for your state and its public image? "Stop it," he said. So we get no further. By the color of his face you could see that his blood pressure had risen significantly. "We then finish the survey," said the man in uniform. Then I can go, yes, I said. No, he said shortly. When you go we tell you if we see fit. And I stayed in the cell, or the small room back. They had me leave it to late evening in the room and then I sent my wife on the street was delighted when I was back and I told her everything I had experienced that day in VPKA-Halberstadt. We were so stressed that we had left our home in the next few days just to send letters from our cover addresses in the country and from Magdeburg. It should have enough experience in the Federal Republic of our harassment in the GDR.

10   10. The stop

After the public demonstration for human rights on the first of May, the interrogation and the pressure at work was, it became more quiet. We had no explanation as to why they left us temporarily at rest, although we continue to leave the country after the other imagined. It was scary. Something had to before the authorities have her. During a trip to Magdeburg on the highway F 81, came after the town Kroppenstedt in about the middle of the line, a truck brand in Robur Opposite direction. About 100 meters ahead of me moved the truck to my side and remained there. I would have had no chance with my race card, how to get the car Trabant also mentioned. My wife and I were at this time full of distrust and all everything. Apart from the close circle around the Franciscan friars in the monastery. Over-cautious edited electrified we went to our activities. So it was as the truck raced toward me. It was clear: holding on it fully. Quick as lightning I ran some self-preservation of blood to the head. My Trabant was light and the truck was hard. So I drove off the road on a freshly plowed field. The truck gets stuck when he tried. Thus could not follow me. The lightweight satellite went up over it and I steered him back on the road. The truck is now back on the right side was looking into the distance. Even more cautious, I did my post to the west with a Nationwide address from the Halberstadt Road in Magdeburg. Back home I talked to my wife about it. What should we do as or what could we do there. Nothing. So we did all that, but now under the premise once a so-called poor in natural, accident, fall victim to. So it was a few weeks remain relatively quiet.

It was foolish to go up in the morning in the Trabant car, without a small Security Check. One morning I climbed once again in my Trabant one, in order to the district construction operations, my job to drive. Clueless I drove off. Finally, the car was indeed directly below our apartment window on the street, a garage we could not afford. At the first intersection behind our apartment, I had to brake. There was cross-traffic on the main road. I entered the brake pedal until Stop by, without effect. Luckily, the plastic Trabant easy I drew a good hand brake which I fixed. That was just one good. I drove carefully back with the hand brake and looked under the Vehicle. All brake lines were severed. But even that went back even good. Now, the East German authorities had probably last us the full of his nose. Something had to do it. But in no case authorize the departure. The fear that I could in Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate infect the few small handful of Communists with my practical experiences so that would arise from the less stubborn fellow to thinking that one's social goals without the democratic system of the Federal Republic in question can make to achieve with the Social Democrats. We realized that something definitive was underway. That was all the more difficult because now we sent our important messages in invisible ink to Koblenz. We also chose the path of fictional sender to family friends, they then gave the post to our relatives. Like, all unnoticed could not cope with us, not even the case with my Trabant One morning the brake lines cut.

11   11 The End

Because the East German decision-makers in Halberstadt us were not ready, came with a renewed summons to the district council (interior) a full-specific instructions, Mr. Steinbach, the Council of the district to do so. We felt the same, as the Halberstadt Council members held back and the comrades from Magdeburg left the hearing. This Mr. Steinbach should probably come back in any case with a positive result to Magdeburg. With a face as if to shoot us on the spot, he asked us if we wanted to continue with business as usual. I said no, "Let's leave the hassle and since your going with us." "No," said this fellow Magdeburg. "Anything but that. We want to end the trouble with you at last. "" That you can not, "I said," if you do not let us leave. "" Oh yes ", he said. "You will perhaps wonder what we can do. She had been in your environment in Halberstadt but now quite small with a hat. "" Because we give you legal, life in recent years is not easy for us. . Because your whole work did a "Mr. Steinbach said," I will make the following suggestion: You can choose between deportation to another city or in a prison or both at once rehabilitated and get Dott an enrollment at the College of Civil Engineering in Magdeburg, and upon successful completion you will receive in the management of the Magdeburg housing combine a line position. Your wife is in a permanent medical body of Magdeburg large company that builds in Halberstadt large ship engines. "To me he still said that I would need no further requirements, since I have already studied at the Karl Marx University in Berlin and knew the study-yes . "But with the departure applications must then end with the contacts and also to the Koblenz MPs." "Actually, that is not gonna work" I said. You know that I have a family with two children. I could never pay at all. My wife earns as a nurse, not so much that they can feed the whole family of 5 years. "Do not even our thoughts." Mr. Steinbach said. The 5-year-old building studies, we give them. She's free. And let their content in the operation we run on. You will receive an exemption for the missed days. I looked at my wife to ask, did I not witness. The view of my wife signaled me that she did not know what we should do now. Then I asked you is because your still disturb us so much? Mr. Steinbach did not answer this question. He said simply "you have to choose you now. Once again I am because of you not from Magdeburg to Halberstadt I asked that to be able to discuss with my wife outside the Council. We were first out of the building to the street. Going in the direction of the engineering company where my wife works should, if we would accept the offer. We discussed some basics about whether we really should leave the previously chosen path of the permanent exit visa status and whether we, if we continued as before, could bear the strain and stress in the long run. My wife Edith and I, would we all agreed that this life between fear and hope, have long term health consequences for both of us. But if we accept the offer, we will not lose our face to the other exit of applicants who knew us. What are the alternatives. "If we go on," I said. First, we can mentally ill fall into the hands of the public health system, with its impaired operating secret police and party organizations in the hospitals and we go with psychotropic drugs from the market, or we are really made once an accident victim and then our children are alone and be educated in state orphanages. We would then indeed our true face to the other applicants for emigration But what we have and the like. Nothing. Then we looked at the other side. What can we do for our departure, when we accept it? If we say yes, to what the comrade from Magdeburg us suggests, we can not after beginning his studies in mechanical engineering and if you start with your new work place the next exit visa. Then has done everything and we get the pressure. Then we shall also be available on the agreement. We no longer are loyal citizens of the GDR, which is anyway clear. But too much has happened. But we can still withdraw first and then look in the resistance groups of the church, what we can do to serve the impending Veräderungen the GDR state. We were aware that they would get us anyway small. So we take time and have some time alone. Let's see, how to enforce these your promises. Phasing out of the agreement, we can still. So we went back into the Council building and in the consulting room, as they all sat still and waited about 20 minutes on the result of our internal deliberations. "Mr. Steinbach, we may have no choice but to accept your offer." "The first semester has indeed started a week ago, but you come into it yet," said Mr. Steinbach. Embarrassed silence in the Halberstadt employees by the Department of Home Affairs.

The next day, we again had many friends. We wonder today how did that. Many of our new friends were likely to be a party orders to take care of us. What will the next 5 years came to me was much heavier than the Sociological Studies under privileged conditions in Berlin. In the study of dialectical materialism, or the law of negation of negation, and so on, one need not necessarily be able to count very well. When the first math exam went wrong, I realized that I no studies concerning the

Had special status. This should probably be, because there was hardly anything in the GDR, which was not planned, without the economic decline. Those responsible were some in the security and military sector, but from the business community, economic management and real rationalization in the production process they had little idea with a few exceptions. Added to this was the corruption that was settled mainly on the East innovators being innovators proposals and innovators agreements after DDR innovator regulation NVO § 13, 1 and §, 13.2 designed so that very often the people, for years, most frequently the same people who received compensation of several thousand East Mark received. The distribution of this sum innovator loyalty to the state came first, then people of whom you wanted something, such as materials or other assistance. Then operating Verpflechtungen and cronyism. Only after all these facts, which were partially into the area of the bribes, were real innovations and inventions. The proportion of the real news was not 10% of the operating budget for the sector innovators. That might not go well.

12   12 Fellor Student was Stasi apy

The following construction now studying was very heavy, but I wanted to succeed. When it became clear that about half of the students meet the high requirements in the sciences, mathematics and static after the first year of study can not fulfill, and the deregistration about half of the students stood before, I grabbed at any straw to get ahead . A mathematics teacher at the EOS Halberstadt (extended secondary school) named head of the was recently retired, practiced with me and earned higher mathematics thereby to add something. As long as I went to the main teacher until I reached the study math the note 2. In statics, he could not help me anymore. Since I had to go through alone. But with good math foundation that went quite well. Now we were recommended to home to train groups in the tasks. Halberstadt views found out a group of three students who shared their regular exams and certificates prepared. After a geext three of us due to lack of power was, were We just a group of two.

We became friends even Pivate and visited us with our wives. Some beautiful ceremony in the area ptivaten I can remember. There were also discussions familiar among us both, friends. was also about the antecedents that led to me to receive the degree. Especially this and my coming from Koblenz and all the circumstances of the move he was interested in burning. I thought nothing of it and read my earlier caution in mind. I told him about my life from A to Z My fellow student was so good . Listen I thought that was interesting to talk about my kind. But one thing I wondered about me already. About his life, I learned next to nothing. When I spoke to him once he began, and as a skilled politician, he was like from another topic. Only by chance I heard once that he was before his studies Kapo with the border. The border that I had with my family so much exceeded in the west to Koblenz. He was to speak against this request but then I too risky. So I got used to his way of our friendship and hurt not. Finally, we needed to thank the studies but very. When I was sick, he wrote in the lectures and the Statiktrainig for me and showed me this often at home Visits. He was what I respectively. my family covered up to date.

This went on until the study was completed and we are at our facilities worked as engineers. My fellow student in the concrete factory in Halberstadt and I combine housing in Magdeburg. What I only after German reunification in reviewing my Stasi file learned. My friend was in the national security and made many written Reports on me. What he thought about me in fact I only found out by looking at this Stasi documents. To date, I can appreciate not know how to adjust so many years can. After reunification, he was by his climbing team, in the Office of the District Council building director in the district of Halberstadt. (District Office) was used. This went on until I know his written report about me from my Stasi file stapled together and handed over this file to the Interior Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. This one case was solved just, but how many have slipped through today and are still sitting there?

Now I had done the 5 years of study and a proper conclusion. In residential construction enterprise, now I built homes, prefabricated buildings on an assembly line. With very little effort to build many mansions, was our job. We could not build as fast as the old towns were divided because they were not maintained. Some streets, outside the town centers, landscapes looked like debris. The really beautiful old buildings crumbled rapidly. Criticism of this construction policy was undesirable but even then I tried to criticize this building policy in the GDR. It was burning as Baumensch without political ulterior motives in his heart, when I saw crumbling facades and how you could only see how beautiful even with imagination, some old buildings once were. This meant that I was reprimanded. Then I thought, let them do just that by digging their own grave this procedure.

In these days of my civil action, it was on a summer day, the sun was burning and it was hot. A management member had told me a few days earlier, when it is so hot you can get items for a few hours to rappel and go swimming. The notes but no. You are then just away on the site. I did that too. Once in the pool it was a shock, who do I look out of my operating everything. Some even equal with their secretaries, which in bikinis jumped around there. Since you ask no better. People could indeed have vacation. The damage to the operation was vast. But I was already jaded in this regard. Good humor and refreshing, I came out of the pool back to my job in the site office. For now, I once forgot everything that had come up to that point. As a colleague, also architect, the office to me. He said, "do I know that you think of our policy is not much, but you should somehow politically a little push." He even said, you have also disturb other Anwerbeversuchen. How do you mean? I asked. He said "you can be just like me in the CDU member. On what makes our East-CDU leadership in Berlin, we have no influence anyway. I asked "why are you then as member" He said we must indeed be grateful, in a way, for the career you get paid to work on the holding of a line from the state. It was not like in my case to come there knew. There came to me in all high again, which I had experienced before, and suffered with my family. My colleague and I, we knew well and because I knew how far I could go with him I had insulted him badly. In no case should come with this advertising for the CDU block in the National Front, once again. Later I spoke to no one for membership. As I learned later he had the outcome of his SPD-call advertising reported in my Chairman's Circle in Halberstadt ..

13   13 East Church supports break

What has not been mentioned in detail in all this time, since my childhood, I was a short time in which I had left the church, sometimes more or less active than a practicing Catholic Christian. Childhood as an altar boy, even after the Latin rite and as a scout in the DPSG, and my religious upbringing, have impressed so crucial that I always could find and in the church stop, when I thought that it would not go any further . So now. The physical security of the family had now reached, we were back in operation and private viewing. The daughter Anja was in the advanced high school and was preparing for her high school, the daughter Katja studied diligently in the Pedagogical High School (POS). Despite the fact we were lucky in that State. My wife was born in the GDR and the Federal Republic knew only from television and storytelling. It was used around the entire drum of socialist everyday life. From the queue, if things were bananas. The green and tough Cuban oranges and the wedding ring to purchase, at the West family begged, West DM Intershop, with Altgoldabgabe. Sometimes I had the impression that my wife looked at everything as normal. She could not imagine that in the West particularly coveted goods in abundance are available for purchase.

So yes I would have resigned yet. But I longed to see once again my home town of Koblenz. The Rhine, the Mosel, Lahn, the German corner, the fortress Ehrenbreitstein, the Rhine Palatinate and the castles of the Rhine and Mosel valleys, even of everything there, what was my home. There were now 17 years that I could not, despite requests to travel to Koblenz.

Now even my father died in Koblenz. My sister sent quickly the necessary documents for my participation in the funeral. and I thought I could now go to the funeral leave for a short time after all was the travel conditions between the Federal Government and the Government of the GDR exactly Agreed. The death of a first-degree relatives was also a first-tier licensing reason. I was sure that the GDR authorities me a visa would be issued to the funeral date. It was anything but. So much for the rule of law GDR. (I thank the Internet service "The honey man says," for his clarification on the rule of law DDR) Once again I experienced the absolute discretion of the GDR state. The request was rejected without explanation. I was now alone with my grief and howled like a dog at night in lock my pillow. . Scream I liked the desire for freedom. For this I went extra in the woods and yelled the word freedom in the wind. But I had to be sure that no one could hear it. The word freedom, that we sometimes use so casually, I was aware in its full extent and content like never before.

For the fathers and brothers of the Order of Franciscans OFM in the monastery in Halberstadt, I could some of my inner life to reveal, without appearing weak to the outside. More and more crystallized the pastor, Father Konrad Kretschmer, to my leader. He also had to be careful. With his goodness and his gentle charisma, he could go further than, say, me. After careful palpation and the confession of my past life story, Father Konrad took me under his personal care. He said in 1986 that the GDR can not long be well. More and more the rumbling in the churches, where people could feel safe limits. Mainly in Protestant churches but also in Catholic churches alternating events of the initiative swords into plowshares were carried out with poster campaigns. The events were almost always with a service part and a part of critical engagement with the state. For the Stasi and the leading party, the SED, these events were difficult to reach. Or they had to open quarrel with the churches, but it was too late. .

14   14 governance takes last register

At that time, the Upper East swayed in their arrogance, or aptly, drunk on their power, yet safe. Defiantly proclaimed Erich Honecker in January 1989 before a committee and the public that the wall in 50 or 100 years, is still closely, if not change the circumstances that led to have resulted in your building .. He said this has certainly not won for so long in the west of socialism. Yes, if the West, the socialist economy of scarcity would be finding their way, people would go just as suppressed as in the GDR, all held gestailte cars, Trabant and Moskvitch, would then no one from East Germany would want to leave. Then we could break down the walls reassured. But we were not so far that we could take them by Honecker and his junta serious statement lightly. It was shot on the border still .. Now I no longer wanted to leave. The people in East Germany now needed people who went forward boldly, bring the GDR system basis. The people needed me, too. After many years of harassment in the GDR before, I was not strung so tender and for the forthcoming revolutionary changes just made and highly motivated. But beware of the death of Chris Gueffroy Republikflüchtligs and catering staff, at the Berlin Wall in the Teltow Canal, showed that the revolution was not over the hill. The policeman who shot him were then. commended by her company commander. The shooting border guards were with the badge of the border troops and a Judas of 150.00 Ostmark after the then exchange rate 21, 40 DM less than 30 pieces of silver were the that her famous predecessor, 2000 years ago, has received for the fatal betrayal of Jerusalem's Mount of Olives. (So much for the rule of law DDR) The conference revealed, however, that the East German system was heading for the end of the state, planned economy made products were of poor quality and not competitive. The productivity was very low despite full employment. This led to very long waiting periods when purchasing a car or Fatbfernsehers and other high value goods. This has encouraged the popularity is not the East German leadership. Even in their own ranks, there were now people who were critical of their leadership to task. By flattering statistics, the SED tried to keep secret their high debt. get a small delay and a short air was achieved by Straußchen Miliardenkredit. But had to leave the GDR can be a lot of political prisoners and to the West. Every single one of them was an ambassador of the unjust system in the West and in the mass media, which were in East Germany received 90% and be seen .. Despite all we got, the opposition groups, more and more surface water and gained power .. The wave of emigration applications reached record levels. By Glastnostpolitik in the USSR and the desire for liberalization in the GDR continued to increase. The book by M. Gorbachev's perestroika was banned and went from hand to hand, despite the. We all had read it. Although my conclusions of his famous work does not go far enough. Gorbachev warned Honecker, penetrate social reform in the GDR launch. Well, that Honecker's stubbornness has prevented this age, otherwise we might have had even longer wait for the reunion. . But it took us despite it all helped us on the revolutionary path. At that time the authorities in East Berlin still believed not in the least because it is socialism for her and for them personally would one day be life threatening. We were so close to success. Meanwhile, the meetings were done in Protestant churches and in Catholic churches. Everyone wanted to was allowed to speak. When I think back on it, I smile. As you could see and hear the desperate attempt by the East German state and to bring the movement under their control. And there came among others, representatives of state bodies, and representatives of the East German CDU and the other block parties. All told us that they had big plans, and only in the social state of the GDR, which was somewhat in need of reform, one could make this happen. But too many people were there who wanted to hear their real experiences of the East German GDR nice talk nothing, not even by representatives of the CDU. More and more often these speakers were booed, which meant that they had withdrawn more and more applications from the speaker. These faithful servants of the state and block party from hiding in the crowd of protesters and there were less and less resonance.

15   15 The Monday demonstrations

There was a great Monday demonstrations in most major cities DDR. The cries of "We the people" were getting louder and thundered through the sea of houses that we went through and through. went with in the front row with the blessing of Father Konrad Kretschmer, the Franciscan brothers Valentin and Otmar in full regalia with a candle in his hand. Also on ia the Mitmarschierenden safety and unsettled the lying in wait of the state security forces. If you shoot at these people, for example. The more intelligent among which probably also thought of the consequences for themselves, if this should go wrong.

It seems only now realized the Upper East that they could go to the leather. The desperate attempts of replacing Honecker by Krenz and Modrow in the People's Parliament took no longer have the desired effect. The momentum of the movement, well supported by the Western mass media was not able to stop. During this time got the most consistent opponents of the issue, or the lecterns in the hand. Here I was there. I did not shy away, mostly to denounce the evil role of national security. And I also attacked the state-supporting role of block parties, mainly those of the CDU. This brought me a very great applause. Here and so began my career.

16   16 The New Forum

Since I am in all the past years with the support of my wife my could train my stamina and perseverance, was the founding manifesto of the New Forum "Broken 89" for me at the right Time. It collected the previous parties and groups within the Evangelical Church, the economic system and critics who have long tried to make their criticisms public and Catholic circles within the church. The former groups were significantly infiltrated by the Stasi or accessed. In the Catholic Church, it was very difficult for the Stasi, seen in the last corner of the resistance inside. Also today we learn only hesitant on the resistance in this church and its silent but effective fight against the East German system. In addition, there was an important resistance group, the departure of applicants who were denied the human right to freedom of movement and career development and largely in the GDR were excluded. This group also felt I wanted to belong in the GDR, while other critics groups in the DDR system wanted to stay there and The thought also it could still be a repair of that system. These groups are all together and their collective strength to pool was a very difficult task. The Stasi did turn everything it can to divide this movement and undermine. Once it before founding the New Forum, where prayers for peace and Monday demonstrations Blanchett, has now ignited the spark that led to real change. We were very lucky that at this time, George Bush, Helmut Kohl and M.. Gorbachev, the leaders were accompanying. The bloodless revolution is not only the merit of the resistance groups and their organizations in the GDR, but also due to the open and secret diplomacy of the great powers concerned. Without these two groups would be at this time, the German unit has not yet come into existence

In this new forum, I felt myself lifted at the start pretty well. Offered here at last, the possibility to leave the church resistance group to step out and share with the masses with what I expect from us the dominant, held in circuit, district and republic. I got to know like-minded friends. Predominantly in Magdeburg and Halberstadt I could develop my activity. A gentleman from Tschieche Magdeburg after its consequence in the honest desire detachment of the DDR system left me with a deep impression. The highest authority of the new forum and I met as a representative of the Region with it. There was a fierce debate over whether the GDR could and would reform, or whether they demand the unification of Germany should. It was anticipated that the opinions regarded each other irreconcilably would collide. The DDR system is at the end and irreparably. Every day for putting off the collapse is a waste of time, some said. Let us get our land reform and said the others who had found their niche in the GDR, but also the longing for profound changes. They refused at that time to go but from as far as the first group. Unfortunately, Jens Reich has not yet dared to approach the fundamental analysis of the errors that have been made in this phase of the Forum, You have to talk only to the facts. It was at that time a North South divide clearly visible. The Einheitsforderer came mainly from the south of the GDR and the GDR reformers came predominantly from the north. The discussion was so unforgiving that the disintegration of the New Forum came. Many delegates from Saxony, and so I too, left this body and kicked on the spot from the "New Forum" from. Back Halberstadt I discussed the first with Franciscan Father Konrad Kretschmer. Now we planned further steps. That was the time when the Wall fell. On 09 November it was so so far. "Schabowski" half they pushed him, he half sank. In any case, Schabowski increased the pressure on the boiler of freedom in the GDR, analogous by his statement: "The border is open" so strong that it was for the people in the East no longer. They expressed to the first transition in Berlin and were in the arms. Since the report, filmed, comments and often repeated, I do not want to dwell on the Wall. Who thought but with the breaking of the German part of the iron curtain, even the German unity was achieved, which was disappointed. At the moment it looked as if it had never given the huge army of security forces, which protected the GDR system based, and had defended. Also, I was very happy about the fall of the wall, but I hooked this quickly because I was not quite aware of how we now under the new conditions, should continue to our destination, the German unit, as soon as possible to . reach In general, I'm delirious with joy again in the near future. If the institution of the East German system are submerged for ever and be quiet, or they jump on the moving train of rapprochement between the two German states and the subsequent German unification and try in the newly created democratic government influence to keep creating new and key positions to occupy. If these people we later when everything has calmed down home pay that we have abolished GDR. Many people who were with us on the street and wanted nothing more than freedom and the unity of Germany could, and can sing a song like this in government, for example, the employment office as a petitioner to stand against his former party secretary. A certain degree of bitterness is not to blame them. The words, "everything flows to be in heaps" was and is not for these people. For that we must understand and try to appreciate their contributions to the turn of 1989 / 1990 to now and, despite the history.

17   17 ingratiation

After Father Konrad had expressed understanding of my desire, if possible not with the East German CDU-block work that tried now more and more to get the issue in the GDR in the hand. The CDU members, who recently praised the achievements of East German Biederman, now when traveling to the West, for in their new party friends. As we now know, this bill did so also.

So I had only one new party, which could rally the people who completed unloaded, consistently and permanently with the GDR past. In the parties to be established, we suspected the least informal workers of the GDR state security service.

Franciscan Father Konrad manufactured over Catholic episcopal office in Magdeburg first contacts to Munich to CSU. Following joint meetings in Munich, I started with some like-minded people and the human and financial support from the National Association of CSU DSU in Saxony-Anhalt and was elected as its chairman. As a member of the board of this new party we prepared the first free elections with the People's Chamber.

In the meantime, Berlin had the East German CDU been in the forefront of this movement and with the help of Chancellor Kohl, who also had been given all the investment options to help us. Kohl used many ways, the ways to the early German unit paving and domestic and foreign policy to flank. It was burning in my heart that people were given the East German CDU now block the reins in his hand. In GDR times, the CDU had to be among other things, the arm of the East German state in the churches. During my social science studies in Berlin in the Department of State organization, we had heard of our professor, what important tool of the socialist state, the block parties. The work in the areas which the SED can be difficult to achieve. He said: "They are so true to state that with which often have less difficulty than with the comrades of our Party, the SED, which are sure to be the vanguard of the labor movement. Our comrades to think, discuss everything and have to be able to bring what we (the leadership) in decisions and projects on track. With the CDU in the National Front because we have far less trouble. "

18   18 The People's Parliament

In preparation for the first free elections the People's Chamber was first, a clarification rather than primarily within the new parties. There were several meetings in our party of the DSU. The most important in Magdeburg. Here I was dealing with a sudden new DSU members who unconditionally and with all the power the top candidate for our new party were seeking. The approach of some of these party members reminded me on my interrogation at the VPKA Halberstadt. It is mainly due to the advisors from Bavaria, who were present at these talks were so suspicious and cautious as well as I do that those people did not get to their destination in the People's Parliament met. Later emerged that party friends again, as soon as they came. Already here one could assume that in the freely elected chamber also those elected officials are to be found. The parliamentary elections took place on 18 now March 1990 instead of with me as Saxony-Anhalt's top candidate of the DSU. With a party friend of Hall, we were sent by the voters with a mandate to Berlin. In Berlin, we sat together as a group only once. We first had to meet. As a coalition of the Alliance for Germany, which had the People's Parliament majority, we had to put with the right professionally qualified persons for the government. Without the CDU, the largest group and without Lothar de Maziere was nothing. I applied because my education and my mandate for the post of the East German Minister of Construction. There was some wrangling and L. Demaiziere put the Lord Viehweger who had no popular mandate chamber, as a Minister of Construction. In the training he had given me nothing ahead. But as we all Stasi review showed that we had decided, by majority, I was as unencumbered candidate him in relation to disadvantage. Since I became restless and I also made known that in the group did, I should be sedated with the appointment as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Transport. In our group there were two ministers and three Secretaries of State. I wonder today how straightforward appeal of our ministers: Diestel and Ebeling seemed to go on the stage. Soon after, both left our group and I was as Parliamentary Secretary for some time the only link of the DSU in the Cabinet De Maiziere. It was a painful compromise to us our friends in Munich and also urged me personally in an alliance for Germany with the East German CDU create together such a large People's Parliament majority, which guaranteed that all laws, regulations and adjustments to the federal German law, quickly as possible were decided by the People's Chamber, so that the settlement agreement was already prepared. Of that I had in my field, the transport to do something. First I met the giant machine of the Department of Transportation in the French street in Berlin to handle and to use its trade potential. Some older people there, it was hard to help against their conviction in adapting to the West German rules and regulations. Somehow I can understand that too. In the state government to be active in the GDR was a privilege that only the most faithful to the party SED and block was reserved for employees. And now we'll get out of the GDR, therefore, elected deputies and some people freely elected Prime Minister and put us to the top of their ministries. It was heavy going but it went. Although they had to be adjusted again and again for speed. Those who hesitated or short-term adjustment of many laws and regulations had to be reset after operation. Once a week was working meeting with the heads of the State Railways, the Inter-flight and maritime navigation in my consulting room. Finally, I was the supreme governing body, except the minister, who represented. Quite clearly I could here the dislike of the new DDR felt leadership. Without exception, all participants there were so intelligent and diplomatic training, that there is no reason to complain there. All with, made sure his fist in the pocket. So we made it in a short time as Prof. Dr. Norbert Lammert, on a subsequent assessment of the recent People's Parliament said: "Overnight, we came up with a starring role on the stage of world politics. The vast majority occurred overnight in a task in which they had limited expectations. " The same for me. If there were less rhetorical talents in the chamber free people, we're doing many things right and with pace. Discussions, as we know it today from the political kidnapping of tactical decisions had on the 10th People's Parliament is no place. Once again, I would like to quote Dr. Norbert Lammert, "The 10th People's Parliament is not only one of the hardest-working have been, but also one of the most influential parliaments of German democracy and the parliamentary history. "(Speech on 18 03 2010, Bundestag) ended when the People's Chamber activities on the day the unit was and we had made it even unnecessary, I was dismissed by the then Federal Transport Minister Zimmermann salbigen words and a bunch of carnations and I never saw him again and never heard from him. So I was now unemployed. No thanks, no matter how it go then. Now I said the two friends from the People's Parliament who held some time in Saxony-Anhalt high office. Gerd Gies and Mr. Braun, who later became interior minister in Saxony-Anhalt. Both found the dismissal without perspective in Berlin is not good and I got a job at the Home Office in the Department of Building Control in the substantive work engineers for stability.

19   19 The Day of Unity

At that time, I threw all caution to the wind my block party and wanted to join the CDU. The then district CDU chairman in Halberstadt (in 1990) told me he would see to it that I would never become part of the CDU, as I would have to GDR times the membership of the block-CDU already rejected once. Since the influence of this group chairman is not enough to Berlin, I was taken there after intercession of my former chief minister Gibtner in the CDU and then later transferred to the CDU District Association Wernigerode (neighboring district of Halberstadt) as a member. A frosty air greeted me there. That was not the political environment, which I presented to me so. Largely isolated, even among some Christian old-timers who could carry over their party influence undiminished by the new CDU party and made some great careers. After I wanted to bring in local politics in my small town and in the resin, I was held back by so-called "CDU party colleagues. My mistake was that I left after, from the CDU. I regretted soon after. Can I still bring change from within rather than from outside. So I asked again in 2007, applies on resin circuit to be included in the CDU and to revive my membership. Following the recent rejection of my application by the district board, I note the ranks of the CDU in Halberstadt, resin circuit are still closed. After my plea to the CDU in the internet portal, help me to be with the CDU-Up, I was given by the current district CDU chairman in the Harz district, Mr Thomas, an invitation to the hearing in a district board meeting in Wernigerode in Halberstadt. There I should state my reasons for my resume desire. After a speaking time of just under 10 minutes, I was sent away without asking. In my opinion, the outcome was already determined in advance. It had yet to be checked off the hearing.

I have to admit: have been in East Germany anti-communist to be to have made emigration applications, the CDU to have rejected membership in GDR times, stood in the "New Forum" at the vigils before the state security, while many others behaved first crouched waiting, in the People's Parliament for having been founded by Bavarian support of the DSU, are all in Halberstadt, in my opinion seems the worst possible conditions for SEZ in the CDU in the resin group. be incorporated Saxony-Anhalt.

20   20 It is reached

Be that as it was that East German system is history and I've a decisive role only in the opposition system and then played in Berlin at high risk. My journey has been painful at times up to that goal. The lesson of my career is that we should not only learn from experience.

The freedom to do basically anything or have what you want, and the material possibilities and responsible, self-determined action are the natural limits. to make decisions on their own volition and democracy in a real choice of political leaders to have. As stipulated in the Basic Law and how it should be ensured by the protection of a state in democracy, the better life possible alternative. This is the opposite of the GDR definition of freedom as "insight into necessity" with what was, among other things, the whole repressive apparatus of the GDR dictatorship justified.

21 See also

Peter-Michael Diestel
Gregor Gysi
Bernhard Kellermann

22 Weblinks

• Homepage von Manfred Dott
• Kommentare Manfred Dott zu "Die DDR war kein Unrechtsstaat