Stasirevelati on*Lof,1t, forcere-examination Ay STEPHENKINZER Gcrmany'sCommunist Party sincc Ne|| Yark rines Ne||sSetrtce 1946,and in 1990,when it renamed itsclfihc DemocraiicSocialist party, BONN Germany-' The ibrner ha remaincdan imporiantmembar. EasiCernan secreipolice, the Stasi, filcs foundby invesiigatorssuggcst nolonger exists, but lastweekend it that he had beenan informer ibr iho noncthelessclaimed another liie. Stasiliom 1954to i960. GelhardRiege, a membcrof the fven beforehe was oificially BonnParliameni fron easternGer- identifiedas a Stasicollaborator, many,hangod himself on Saturday Ri€gehad beenthe targetof many after-it was reportedihai he had rumors. When he ftied io give a beenaStasi informerin the 1950s. year "l speechin Parliamentlast urg don'thale tho strensthio live ing an endio "culturalrestrictions" andiight,' Ricgcrwoie in a suicide "hn in education,ho $,asinierrupted by note. afraidoltho publicity,the jeeringcolleages. "Who way it will be handt€dby the restrictedlaople? You did!" shouiedonc. "Stasi lackey!" shouted Riese'ssuicidc has led soneloli another."He's a Stasibrotherl" ticiansto warn that Siasifi]es are Like oiher political parties.the beingopened too soonand too fully. DemocraticSocialists recently asked Othe$ insist ihe couniryconiinue for backgrcundchecks on all r3 of lo seekthe lull truih about Siasi its Membcrsof Parliament.Pariy relression,no matter how painful. leaderssaid ihat ihree of the 13werc I Undera larvapproved by Parlia' ibundto havcworked for theStasi. mentlate last year, any cllizenmay Tholarty gaveall threedeputies haveaccess to his or her complete a vot€of confidence,but Riegeevi- Stasifile. Mosi filescontain reports, dcnilyfeared what one friend called aboutthe pefsons lrivate life and "unbcarablesocial pressure." - politicalvielvs, submitied by inform Another of the thrue Domocmtii ers undorcodc names. Special Socialisideputies identified as for- libradansai the Siasiarchires can mcr Stasiinforme|s. Jutta Braband, usuallytell thoinforner's lrue iden announcedihis r./eekthat shcwould nty, reslgnher seat in Parliameni. Mant Siasiviciims who havo Accoding to investigators,Bra seentheir fileshave discolered that bandnot only providedreports to som€of thcir tulends,co workers "pafticipatedactively the Stasi,but ' and ei'enrelaii,es were intotmers in arrcsiingteople. Ibr thc sccrctpoiice. 'Stasi hysteria' Privateanguish Riege'ssuicide led one member of Thesediscovedes have led to con Parliameni,Hermann Scheer,to siderablcprivaie arguish and the warn thai "Stasihystcria was brcakupof manyfriendshils. They sprcadingihrough Gormany. "We hal,ealso lelt formerStasi informers are living througha Pub]ic dcetl-vembarrassed and, in some witch hunt that is unworthYof a rases,overwhelmed with guilt. democraticstatc," Scheersaid, Thelawopening Stasi hles, which adding,in a referenceto Hitler's wentinio effectJan. 2, alsoemporv. brown shirtedstorm troopers, A cls governmenlagencles I0 rcquesl country that allo{€d fofmer SA backgoundchecks on their omploy. nembersand Hiiler Youth gradu- c€s.These checks have rosulied in atesto rise to high govemmentposi thedismissal of thousands of iudges, tionshas no right to condemna man doliceofllcers, schoolteachers and llke GorhardRiese because ho had other publicenployees in eastern contactwith ihe Stasiiiom thc ages Germanywho once informcd fot' ihe of24to 30." Siasi. Anothermember of Parliament, Sincethe fjles werc opened, WolfgangThierse, who was a l€adet sevelalpoliticians in easiernGer in thb campaignto openStasi flbs, many havebeen revcalcd as long urgcdGermans to betolarant of peo time Stasiinlormers. Among the ple revealedto havebaen Stasi rnostpromincnt was Josef Duchac, opemiives.Life in EastGermany, he whowas ousted irom his lost aslre said, 'mcanta constartsiruggle to mier ol ihe staie of ThuriDgialasi defcndyour indl!'iduality." month aftcr his former Stasitics "It is inevitablethat this invohes compromises,iactics, diplonacy, The Premierof Brandenburg,andyes, misiakes." Thierse said. Maniiod Stolpe,who accordingto ''We the imuessron shouldavoid ' rewLyrcleased iiles heldhundrcds thateveryone was somehow Suilty. ofme€iirgsi!ith Stasioificem over a RitaSuessmuth, presideni oi Par- ib seekihe full truth about Stasi iis Membersof Parliament.Party rcpression,no matter how painful, l€aderssaid that three of the 13were : Under a law approvedby Parlia- foundto haveworked for the Siasi. ment late last year, any citrzenrnay The party gaveall three deputies qave accessto his or her complete a vote of confidence,but nregeevi- Stasifi1e. Most files contain relorls, dently f€aredwhat one friend called aboutthe person'spivate life and ''unbearabLesocial pressure. ' - dolitcal views,submitted by inform- Another of the three Demoqati ers under codenanes. Sleciat so€ialist deputies identilied as for- llbrariansat the Stasiarchves can mer Stasiinformers, Jutta Braband, usuallytell the informer'stIUe iden- anrrouncedthis weekthat shewould qtv resi$ her seatir Parliament. : Manv Stasi victims who have Accordingto investigators,Bra- seentleir flles have discoveredthat bandnot only providedreports to Sbmeof their friends,co-workers th€ Stasi,but "participatedactively and even relatives were informers in alresting people." (pr the se$et lolice. . 'Slasl hysteria' : Private angulsh Riege'ssuicide led onemember of i Thesediscoveries have led to con. Parliament,Hermann Scheer,to siderabl€privaie anguishand the vrarn that "Stasi hysteria" was qreakup of many iriendships. They spreadingthrough Germany, havealso left fo.mer Stasiinformers "We are living through a public d€€plyembanassed and, in some witch hunt that is unworthy of a cases,overuhelm€d with euilt. democratic state," Scheer said, The law openingStasi nhs, which adding,in a refelenceto Hltler's went into efl$t Jan, 2, also empow. brown"shirtedstorm troolers, "A els governmentagelcres to request country that allolrl€dformer SA backsroundchecks on th€ir employ' membersand Hitler Youth gtadu. e€s,These che€ks have resulied in atesto rise to high govemmentposi. the dismissalof thousalrdsofjudges, tions hasno dght to condemna man pblice officers, schoolteachersand Iike Gerhard ftege becausehe had other publicemployees in eastern contaciwith the Stasifrom the ages Germanywho onceinfomed for the 0f24to30." Stasi. " Another m€mber of Parliament, Sincethe files were opened, WolfgangThi€rse, who wasa leader severalpoliticians in easterrGer. in thb campaicnto open Stasi files, many havebeen revealed as long- urgedG€rmans to be iolemnt ofpeo- time Stasiinformers. Among the ple revealed to have been Stasi most prominent rvasJosef Duchac, op€mtives,Life in East Germany,he fho wasousted from hi6 lost as pre- said, "meani a constant struggleto mier of the staieof Thu ngia last defendyour individuality." month after his former Stasities "It is inevitablethat this involv€s liere madepubtic. compromises,tactics, diplomacy, The Premier of Brandenburg, and yes,mistakes," Thierse said. ManfredStolpe, who accordingio "We shouldavoid the impression newly releasediiles held hundreds that everyonewas somehow grilty." o-fme€tingswith Stasiomcerc over a Rita Suessmuth,pr€sident of Par- 2?-yearperlod, is facing pressureto liament, urged crtuens to recognize quii. that it was the communistsystem, . Stasifiles havealso shaken the not individwl informers, that bore cerman spofts world. A memberof the blame for injustice in East Ger' the olympic bobsleddingteam, Harald czudaj, admittedthat he fur' "In a social and political climate lished the Siasi with rcports on his wherepre-judgment is taking the cbachesand teamrnates.So nany placeof facts,wherc the accusedand soccerplayers on the Dresdenteam the guilty no longer have a fair haveadmitted io Stasiconiacts thai chanceat a new begiming, there is the franchisemay collapsein the noway to recognizeguilt any more," faceofpublic disgust. Su€ssmuthsaid in an interview. But she added,"This painful processis . Calllor tolerance unavoidableif we hopeto forgiive "Somethingis wrong with the eachother andlive togetherfreely." way we are looking into our past," Many Cermansare frustrated complainedGregor Gysi, Ieader of that while lowly ex-informersare tie DemocratlcSocialist party, in a being publicly disgraced,the men eulogydelivered at Riege'sfuneral. who led EastGermaiy seem to be Ries€had beena nenber of East beyondprlqishment