/specialCollection/nwcda2/51/CIA AND THE ORIGINS OF THE BND, 1949-56 VOL. 2/CIA AND THE ORIGINS OF THE BND, 1949-56 VOL. 2_0002.pdf

Secret
REL Ger
EAST.GERMALTTESS IlEACTION .TO THE,GEHLEN_CASE
(Sources as indicated)
The reaction of the Nov. 10 - Nov. 15 East German press to the
Geyer statements on the Gehlen organization was given three-fold out-
let. 1-- Front-page reports on the hrese conference with Geyer and
reprints of his written declaration; 2-- Reprints of and comments on
the West German press's reaction to the case; 3-- Editorials.
Front Page Reports
:
The East German press reported on the press conference held t bY
the GDR government with such headlines as "New Unveilings Of USA t
Espionage"(1), "USA Espionage Net Unmasked . Before Press"(2), "Agent.-
Branch X/9592 Broken"(3), and others. While most of the East German
napers confined their reports to quoting Geyer and the chairman of
:the Conference (1 - 10), Taegliche Rundschau, the SoViet mouthpiece
4 . t.he GDR, said that this press conference gives a "concrete insight"
into the criminal activity of those agent-groups.(1)
The two principal newspapers in the GDR, Taegliche Rundhau .
and Neues Deutschland, speaking for the East German press, POlished
' a complete reprint of Geyer's declaration with the following ihtro-
In the American policy of war preparatiOn
an important position is held by the espionage
and sabotage organizations in the countries of
the peace . camp. One of the most important
espionage organizations supported by the Ame-
rican GIG is headed by the former fascist Gen.
Gehlen who closely cooperates With the Adenauer
Government in West Germany and who keeps several
branches in West Berlin. (4):
The following is the summarized text of Geyer's declaration:
1, Hans Joachim Geyer, born June 18, 1901..
..was deputy chief of the espionage agency in
West Berlin whiCh worked under the name 4Branch
X/95924 and was subordinate to the espionage
organization of former fascist Wehrmacht Gen.
Gehlen, until Oct. 29, 1953, under the cover-
name "Grell:"
Today I . tave.;.approached the Government
of the German Domosratic Republic and requested
admission to the Worked for this
espionage organi ,....ation because I was told that
REL Ger
699 Secret