E. Germany Ready to Talk About Free Elections

East Germany’s ruling Politburo on Wednesday proposed talks with opposition elements about free elections, saying such negotiations could deal with the organization of elections in which the party could be voted out of power.

The Politburo also said it is willing to discuss changes to the 1949 constitution, which enshrines the Communist Party’s position as the major political force in the nation. Members did not propose a specific date for the talks, nor did they indicate which groups they were willing to bring into discussions.

In addition to the Communist Party, with more than 2 million members, there are four smaller political parties in East Germany. In the past, they had been considered mere satellites of the Communists, but since the recent political upheaval began they have been showing startling independence.

But other non-party opposition groups have sprung up recently, notably New Forum, which now claims 200,000 followers.

According to the official news agency ADN, “The Politburo has proposed that the political parties united in the coalition government should convene a round table with other political forces.”

The proposal in many ways resembles similar ones in Poland and Hungary, which resulted in the ouster of the Communist Party as the sole political force.

Manfred Gerlach, leader of the small Liberal Democratic Party, told a news conference Wednesday that his party is drafting an electoral law ensuring free elections at all levels, including the national Parliament. He said the new law should be put to a referendum, with the actual elections held late next year or early in 1991.

East German leader Egon Krenz, who also heads the Communist Party, earlier had spoken of a dialogue with opposition groups, but he had not gone as far as offering formal negotiations, which was implicit in the Politburo announcement Wednesday.

In an interview with Moscow News on Wednesday, Krenz was quoted as suggesting that some of the ousted Communist Party leaders should be held to account for their abuses of power.

“As far as the complicated processes taking place in this country are concerned,” Krenz said, “neither workers nor peasants nor civil servants are guilty. The responsibility for everything has been taken by the party--specifically, by those who retired from the Politburo and the government. I advocate bringing to account those who are really guilty of the situation that has arisen.”

At the same time, a Defense Ministry announcement said East Germany will do away with military parades that were characterized by goose-stepping soldiers.

“Parades for self-glorification are not necessary,” Defense Minister Theodor Hoffmann said.

Hoffmann said he planned to restructure the 172,000-member armed forces, reducing the number of border guards.