Ageing Communist Elected President Of New East German Republic

Chronicle (Levin), 12 October 1949, Page 5

Ageing Communist Elected President Of New East German Republic

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k Received Wednesday, 9.25 a.m. BERLIN, October 11. Herr Wilhelm Pieck, the ageing Communist leader, was unanimously elected President of the new East German Republic today. The 73-year-old Herr Pieck, who holds a colonel's r-ankin the Russian Army, was unopposed for the post.

Herr Otto Nuschke, Christian Democrat Leader, announced the new President's name at a joint meeting of the Communistappointed Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament in Goering's former Air Ministry, in central Berlin. Delegates rose shouting approval and waving bunches of flowers as Herr Nuschke proposed Herr Pieck's nomination. The Russian Ambassador, Mr. Vladimir Semeonov, was smiling broadly. Half an hour earlier he had warmly congraiulated Herr Pieck on his "election." After Herr Pieck had been sworn in, the President of the Lower House, Herr Johannes Dieckmann, read a statement maffe last night by the Soviet Military GovernorGeneral, Marshal Vassily Chuikov, saying that the Russian military administration would be replaced by a Control Commission on Oc:ober 17 and that the new Parliament would take over the administration of the State. Another Soviet Satellite. After reading the statement, Herr Dieckmann said: "It is with deep emotion that I express in the name of the people our profound thanks to the Soviet Government." The whole House rose and clapped for several minutes. In his Presidential address, Herr Pieck linked the welfare of the German people with that of the

Soviet Union and made it clear that the Kremlin had acquired another satellite State. Herr Pieck said: "The Soviet Union has implemented the holy right of the German people to independence and the development of unity and peace. Away with pessimism and obstinacy. It is not important whether the two German Governments recognise each other. What is important is that they fight jointly for German unity." Appealing to the West German Government to flght Hgainst I "measures imposed by the Western imperialists," Herr Pieck said: "The Government of the German Democratic Republic will never recognise the split which runs through Germany. It will not rest until dismantling has stopped in the Ruhr, and the occupation statutes are tlolished and a unified Germany created." He asked the deputies to give three cheers for the unity of Germany, friendshio with the Soviet Union and freedom-loving nations and close economic relations between East and West. About 2000 people jammed into the small Assemblv room for the ' ceremony ?„nd great crowds gathI ered outside the building. Police snapped to attention in true Prussian fashion and saluted as Herr Pieck left.