Evening star., 1950-09-01
East Reich Reds
Rock Party With
Top-Leve| Purge
Gerhurd EisIer Aide
Among Those Caught
In u. S. Spy Net
BY the Assoeioted Press

BERLIN, Sept. East Ger
many's Communist rulers rocked
their party and government today
with a startling purge of highly
placed officials.
Six party members, including a
former Politburo member were
thrown out of the Socialist Unity
(Communistl Party, the official
party newspaper Neues DeutSch-
land announced.
-Four more were elected from
jobs in the Russian backed East
German government.
More expulsions were predicted.
The party newspaper gave two
reasons for the purge-asSociating
with American spies" and exhib-
iting Russian feeling"
Those elected from the party
were:
Paul Merker, state secretary in
the Agriculture Ministry and
Politburo member until the re-
organization of the Socialist Unity
Party in July.
Leo Bauer, chief editor of
Radio Berlin:
Bruno Goldhammer, deputy to
Propaganda Chief Gerhard Eisler;
Will Kreikemeyer, general di-
rector of the Soviet Zone rail-
way system.
Lex Ende, former chief editor
of Neues Deutschland and later
editor of the Communist Friend
enspost.
Maria Weiterer, an unidentified
party member.
Without party status, none of
them can hope to retain their
state jobs. Bauer Is known to
have been thrown out of the
radio station already. Goldham-
n1er has not been seen in Eisler's
Office recently.
The purge action, Neues
Deutschland said, was taken by
the party Politburo at the direc-
ton of Party Secretary General
Walter Ulbricht, named to that
post five weeks ago. The same
party post in Russia, provided
Joseph Stain with his spring.
board to power.
Neues Deutschland admitted
the German Communist Party's
ranks are corroded with members
who no longer can obey Russian
dictates without question. This
is the worst sin that can be
charged against a Communist.
Deprived of their government
Jobs but still retained as party
members were Wolfgang Lang
hoff, manager of East Berlin's
Deutschen Theater, and Bruno
Fuhrmann, Hans Teubner and
Walter Beling, all of whom held
minor state positions.
10 Charged as Spies.
The general charge of espionage
was leveled at all 10 purgees. In
addition they were accused of
lacking confidence in the Soviet
Union.
NeueS Deutschland said there
was evidence they had been in
touch with the. American Office
of Strategic Services during the
war. They we're also said to have
associated with Noel H. Field,
former American State Depart
ment erhploye who disappeared
mysteriously behind the iron cur
tain in May, 1949.
The Communists said recently
that Mr.. Field was an American
spy but did not disclose what had
happened to him.
The purge has great historical
significance" Neues Deutschland
asserted.
''It is no exaggeration to say
that it marks the beginning of
a new stage in the history of our
party" the paper declared.
Probe Continues.
NeueS Deutschland said that in
quiry into the purgee's contacts
with Mr.. Field was continuing.
1t added:
"It must be assumed this will
contribute to further clearing and
cleaning of the party of enemy
agents and hampering elements. :"
Most of those named were refu-
gees from Hitler's Reich. AS
fighters against fascism they sup
piled Allied agents in Switzerland
with information and help during
the war. The party organ indi-
Gated they had retained Western
ideas repugnant to the Commu-
nists.
Merker and Goldhammer had
been pro-Communist for more
than 20 years. The latter was
bounded by the Nazis through a
half dozen concentration camps
until he escaped half dead and hid
in Northern Italy on the Swiss
border. Veteran correspondents
who had known him well were
surprised at the charge of dis
loyalty to the party.