6 From E. German Opera Troupe in Britain Defect to W. Germany
Six members of a leading East German opera company have defected to West Germany after a two-week tour in London, the West German embassy said Monday.
An embassy spokeswoman said five singers and technicians left the Komische Oper company and flew to West Germany late last week. A sixth visited the mission Monday before leaving Britain.
The names of the six were not immediately available.
The East German Embassy in London refused to comment on the defection. A spokesman for the Komische Oper in East Berlin said, “I can’t confirm or deny this.”
But the Daily Express newspaper quoted lighting engineer Fred Spodzieja, 41, as saying he had planned his flight to the West for a year.
Communist East Germany, which keeps a tight rein on the cultural activities of performers, has lost many talented artists during Western tours. Others have been expelled to West Germany for opposing the official party line.
In recent weeks, hundreds of East Germans have sought an exit to the West by taking refuge in the West German Embassy in Hungary and Bonn’s mission in East Berlin. The flood of people became so great that both buildings have been closed while Bonn negotiates with Communist authorities.
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