Advertisement

E. Germany to Cut Militia Units

Share
<i> Reuters</i>

East Germany said Friday it is disbanding militia units in state factories and businesses which have been criticized as Stalinist relics out of step with the current shift toward a democratic system.

The government said 10 days ago that it was disarming the volunteer Kampfgruppen (fighting groups), which had served to bolster the Communist Party’s autocratic rule.

A state news agency release said that the government had decided to phase out the workplace militia units by June 30, 1990. No details were given.

According to Western estimates, the militia units numbered 3,000 regulars and 500,000 reserve personnel. The Interior Ministry said earlier this month that anti-tank vehicles, grenade launchers, recoilless firearms, anti-aircraft guns and other weaponry would be transferred from the militia to ministry departments for safekeeping. The disarming of the units made their dissolution inevitable, analysts said.

Advertisement
Advertisement