17 Holed Up in Embassy Give Up, Leave
Seventeen East Germans, ending months of desperate efforts to gain direct passage to the West from here, left the West German Embassy today and boarded a train home.
The group of six women, seven men and four children appeared subdued as they filed into a second-class passenger car. About 45 other East Germans remained holed up in Prague’s West German mission.
Clutching plastic bags and shouldering backpacks with their belongings, the 17 boarded the annonia Express, which had arrived from Budapest en route to East Berlin.
160 Crowded Embassy
It was among the largest group to leave since mid-September, when the first of about 160 East Germans began crowding into the ornate 18th-Century mansion in downtown Prague, seeking direct passage to West Germany.
Since the standoff began, East Germany has continued to insist that its citizens return ome, saying they would be free to apply to emigrate on their return.
It has promised them freedom from prosecution, but--unlike in previous similar cases--has not guaranteed they will be allowed to leave for the West.
Those boarding the homebound train refused to talk to a reporter beyond confirming that hey had just left the West German Embassy.
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