Within the politburo Oelßner had emerged as a critic of plans for the "complete collectivisation of agriculture" which came to enjoy the backing of the "Ulbricht wing" after 1956. In the Soviet Union, following the death of Stalin and the "secret speech" delivered by Nikita Khrushchev in February 1956 (discussion of which was strongly discouraged within East German government circles), a view was developing that the communist regime's longer-term survival might best be secured not simply by repression, fear and rigged election results, but by seeking to win the genuine support of the population. Karl Schirdewan, another of the 12 (or 14) members of the East German politburo, was actually present when Khrushchev delivered his speech at the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party in Moscow. Discussions of the possible desirability of cautiously relaxing state control over society found their way into the East German politburo and for a time, according to some, it seemed that a measure of liberalisation might be possible. It was never clear how widespread those ideas became at the heart of government. Sources originating with East German government always identify (retrospectively) the same three Central Committee dissenters "and others", without ever identifying the others. By early in 1958 Walter Ulbricht had evidently identified a threat to the status quo and possibly to his own political dominance. In February/March 1958 Fred Oelßner was excluded from the Politburo and relieved of all his political and party offices, accused of "repeated violations of Politburo discipline" ("... wiederholter Verletzung der Disziplin des Politbüros"). Others expelled from the Central Committee were Karl Schirdewan and Ernst Wollweber, accused of "factionalism" and "violations of party rules".