BERLIN COMMUNISTS' BID

Chronicle (Levin), 1 December 1948, Page 5

BERLIN COMMUNISTS' BID

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter

Separate Administration Now Established

, Copyright)

Received Wednesday, 9 a.tti. LONDON, Nov. 30. The Russian-backed Berlin Communists today established a separate city administration ^ in opposition to the democratic- " ' ally-elected anti-Communist City Government. They have thus virtually completed the political division of Berlin between the East and West. The deputy chairman of the Berlin Assembly, the Communist, Dr. Ottomar Geschke, told a special meeting of the assembly, held in the Soviet sector, and which the pro-Western parties boycotted, that the Communist "Democratic" bloc demanded the dismissal of the present administration. The bloc also demanded the formation of a provisional administration prior to the general elections. The bloc had passed a resolution stating that the present administration had "failed to fulfil its obligations by disregarding the vital interests of the city." The meeting adopted the bloc resolution and imanimously elected Dr. Fritz Ebert, a member of the Socialist Unity Party, as provisional Lord IVIayor of Berlin. The Communists in Berlin, meanwhile, held large-scale demonstrations against the municipal elections, which are due to be held oti December 5, and which the Russians have banned in their sector. Big Demonstration This afternoon over 10,000 ' woi'kers gathered for a demonstration — the biggest Communist demonstration yet staged in Berlin — carrying Communist placards and banners some of which were marked, "Marshall Plan Means War." They were herded into the Unter Den Linden by Russian sector German. police. All shops and ofhces in the Soviet sector closed at mid-day and the Soviet-eontrolled Berlin radio interruped its programme every ten minutes to urge Berlin ers to go out on the streets and join the demonstration against the city administration. Herr Hans Jendretsky, recently elected Berlin chairman of the Socialist Unity Party, denied that the party had armed forces ready to take over Berlin. "We shall capture th'e city, but without the use of arms." He maintained that thousands of Berliners were waiting to hear word that they had a new Government — a temporary magistrate to end the chaos which grips the city.