Bochow transferred to government service in 1976, joining the Western Europe section of the East German Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Between 1977 and 1981 he served as his country's ambassador to Lisbon in succession to . Portugal had recently undergone a revolution which had involved the removal, in 1974, of a right wing dictatorship, and Bochow was only the second ambassador to be sent to the country by the East German government. Bochow became much enamored with Portugal: he would later be remembered for the gusto with which he had sung Portuguese left wing patriotic songs such as "Grândola, Vila Morena" und "" when, as ambassador, he was invited to participate in political rallies.