123:
61:. Between 1964 and October 1989, it is believed that 33,755 political prisoners had their freedom purchased for a nominal total price of 3.5 billion Deutsche Marks in terms of the equivent currency's modern purchasing power. In addition to the release of political prisoners, approximately 250,000 exit visas were purchased by West Germany on behalf of East Germans who wished to emigrate.
131:
100,000 Deutsche Marks by the time the practice ended in 1989. Officially the payments represented "damages" for the harm the prisoners were alleged to have done in East
Germany and to compensate the East German state for the loss of value from the cost of training invested in the individuals released to the west. This offered a semi-official justification for the payments.
310:
Häftlingsfreikauf scheme with costs for the purchase of exit visas of approximately 250,000 East German citizens who were not political prisoners but nonetheless made a convincing case for wishing to leave East
Germany. Estimates tended to increase over time, with one source, in 1994, suggesting that the total cost to West Germany of the
706:
130:
The prisoner release transactions were negotiated informally at government level, initially as individual deals, and later according to a more consistently established set of processes. The average price per prisoner was around 40,000 Deutsche Marks per person at the outset, but may have reached
309:
Sources are not consistent over the total amount paid by West
Germany for the release of East German political prisoners, and the issue is further complicated by changes in the value of money - even of the Deutsche Mark - between 1962 and 1989. Some data may conflate payments made under the
166:
tensions providing political context during the 1950s and early 1960s, the East German and West German governments both denied the existence of government contacts between the German states. In reality, the sale of the prisoner releases was negotiated, from the East German side, by a lawyer
235:
was also involved in purchasing the freedom of political prisoners, along with members and senior officers of the West Berlin City
Council. Although the German governments attempted to keep the transactions secret, as more and more former detainees turned up in the west, awareness of the
278:, across Germany. There were suggestions that it implied acceptance of the detention of political opponents, and that it provided a pressure valve that weakened political opposition to the East German leadership, thereby reducing pressure on the
261:
programme. Franke was acquitted, but the court determined that Hirt had applied some of the "black funds" involved to non-humanitarian causes without the knowledge of his minister, and Hirt was sentenced to a three-and-a-half-year jail term.
286:. There was a suspicion that it might give an incentive to the East German authorities to increase the number of political prisoners, seeing them as a source of potential income. For example, in 1979 the standard prison sentence for serious
154:
buses were provided with "rotating number-plates". While travelling in East German territory, the buses displayed East German license plates (registration plates) in order to avoid standing out. At the press of a button, on crossing to
252:
and a senior ministerial official, named Edgar Hirt, had presided over the questionable disappearance of 5.6 Million
Deutsche Marks into East Germany. Both men were indicted. They stood trial at the end of 1986, during the run-up to a
138:
in particular. The West German
Deutsche Mark had become, by the early 1960s, a fully convertible currency. Selling political prisoners to the west addressed another problem for East Germany. The historian
368:"Häftlingsdeals mit der DDR ... 40.000 D-Mark für die Freiheit: Von 1963 bis 1989 verkaufte das SED-Regime fast 34.000 politische Gefangene an die Bundesregierung. Erst gegen Geld, später gegen Güter"
297:, which were better informed than most on the murky world of political prisoners in East Germany, were inhibited from campaigning against East Berlin's human rights abuses for fear of endangering the
103:
The first trade in political prisoners took place over
Christmas 1962: 20 prisoners and the same number of children were released in return for a delivery of three rail wagons loaded with
214:
46:, and frequently were given no notice or opportunity to communicate with their families, nor to say goodbye to fellow prisoners, before being transferred to the West.
847:
899:
763:"Saubere Verhältnisse: Der SPD-Kanalarbeiter Egon Franke muß auf die Anklagebank. In seiner Ministerzeit sind seinem Haus 5,6 Millionen Mark abhanden gekommen"
396:"Vertrag zwischen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik über die Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands (Einigungsvertrag)"
947:
111:. Adenauer had faced a crisis within the governing coalition earlier in the month, which had resulted in the appointment on 14 December 1962 of
486:
623:
209:. Another politician who became closely involved in front-line government-level negotiations, as the veil of secrecy began to wear thin, was
848:"Geschlossene Gesellschaft: In der DDR setzte sich amnesty international mit relativ wenig Erfolg für die Rechte politisch Verfolgter ein"
591:
42:
per person. Political prisoners whose freedom had been purchased could choose to be expelled directly from their place of detention to
150:
The actual logistics of the prisoner transfers were implemented discreetly by the East German authorities. For example, two West German
957:
952:
942:
572:
544:
735:"Via Caritas: Ex-Minister Egon Franke soll vor Gericht, weil aus seinem Ministerium 5,6 Millionen Mark spurlos verschwanden"
932:
244:
which threatened to undermine the humanitarian motives of West German governments. It was alleged that the long-standing,
678:"Am leeren Schreibtisch: Egon Franke schickte seinen Berliner Spitzenbeamten und Parteifreund Hermann Kreutzer in Urlaub"
225:
and following intense political pressure from West
Germany, when he had been bundled across the border into West Berlin.
254:
245:
116:
87:
played a facilitating role in mediating the transactions. Close relations between the East and West German
Protestant
937:
496:
440:
651:
457:
279:
218:
176:
134:
In reality, the background was one in which the East German state was chronically short of cash in general, and of
92:
49:
The practice ended in
October 1989 when remaining political prisoners began to be released in the context of the
367:
38:" (ransomed). West Germany paid East Germany, generally in cash or goods, an average of approximately 40,000
76:
182:, but was also valued by the leadership in West Germany, described snappily on at least one occasion by
27:
518:
213:, a formerly East German political activist who in 1949 had been imprisoned for openly opposing the
249:
904:
293:
An additional concern, from the western perspective, was that human rights organisations such as
31:
395:
294:
34:
between 1962 and 1989. Over this period nearly 34,000 East German political prisoners were "
232:
135:
84:
69:
58:
147:). The West German government was motivated, more simply, by humanitarian considerations.
8:
194:
156:
50:
532:
506:
432:
88:
791:
762:
734:
677:
568:
540:
492:
436:
206:
820:
711:
210:
190:
126:
Annual West German purchases of East German political prisoner releases (1963-1989)
228:
560:
424:
283:
222:
108:
26:
for an informal, and for many years, secret, series of transactions between the
628:
596:
334:
287:
202:
198:
183:
179:
172:
873:
624:"Books of The Times; The Trade in Spies: Not All Black or White (book review)"
926:
619:
151:
112:
39:
274:
became known to the public, criticism of it surfaced in the west and, after
241:
140:
65:
43:
825:
Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung und Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e.V
400:
Bundesminister i.A. Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz
68:, which was in a state of permanent financial crisis from the 1970s until
900:"Häftlingsfreikäufe: Bericht soll Milliarden-Transfers an die DDR klären"
796:
767:
739:
682:
372:
240:
programme seeped into public consciousness. In 1983 a scandal erupted in
189:
Vogel's West German negotiating partners were government lawyers such as
143:
describes the arrangement as "a form of political toxic-waste disposal" (
565:
Die heile Welt der Diktatur. Alltag und Herrschaft in der DDR 1971–1989
874:"Jan Philipp Wölbern: Der Häftlingsfreikauf aus der DDR 1962/63-1989"
275:
221:. Kreutzer's 25-year sentence had been cut short in 1956, during the
122:
80:
54:
339:
163:
821:""Abstimmung mit den Füßen" – Republikflucht, Ausreise, Freikauf"
288:"Republikflucht" cases (of attempting to escape from the country)
168:
23:
707:"Diskrete Absprachen in der verschwiegenen Leipziger KoKo-Villa"
314:
programme might have been as high as 8 billion Deutsche Marks.
104:
107:
fertilisers. The West German Chancellor at the time was still
458:"Der Beginn des Niedergangs ... Wachsende Unzufriedenheit"
429:
Der SED-Staat: Partei, Staat und Gesellschaft 1949–1990
535:(January 1998). "Entwicklung des Häftlingsfreikaufs".
491:. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 453.
217:
that had led to the creation of East Germany's ruling
839:
813:
257:, for embezzlement and fraud in connection with the
649:
592:"Former East German Negotiator Wolfgang Vogel Dies"
449:
539:. Berlin: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.
462:Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (BPB), Bonn
175:who evidently enjoyed the full confidence of the
924:
64:The cash payments helped support the economy of
871:
704:
531:
455:
423:
159:, these were replaced with West German plates.
698:
388:
16:Clandestine deal between East and West Germany
845:
784:
755:
727:
670:
618:
892:
612:
559:
484:
332:
328:
326:
480:
478:
419:
417:
361:
359:
357:
197:, along with senior politicians, including
658:(Interview). Interviewed by Franziska Mohr
586:
584:
525:
365:
22:("Prisoners' ransom") is the term used in
865:
323:
145:"eine Art politischer Giftmüllentsorgung"
28:German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
643:
475:
414:
354:
290:was increased from five to eight years.
121:
91:were tolerated by East Germany's ruling
650:Ludwig A. Rehlinger (4 November 2014).
581:
57:that led, formally in October 1990, to
925:
335:"East Germany's trade in human beings"
32:German Federal Republic (West Germany)
801:. Vol. 52/1986. 22 December 1986
880:(Review). Vol. 14, no. 7/8
948:East Germany–West Germany relations
652:"'Es war ein knallhartes Geschäft'"
456:Andreas Malycha (31 October 2011).
13:
772:. Vol. 13/1985. 23 March 1985
743:. Vol. 12/1984. 19 March 1984
686:. Vol. 32/1980. 4 August 1980
567:. Berlin: Ch. Links. p. 209.
282:and underwriting Germany's second
246:Minister of Intra-German Relations
117:Minister of Intra-German Relations
83:based social welfare organization
14:
969:
958:Political imprisonment in Germany
705:Andreas Förster (22 March 1995).
333:Gavin Haines (6 November 2014).
846:Martin Jander (16 April 2002).
553:
366:Katja Iken (24 October 2011).
1:
537:Recht und Justiz im SED-Staat
488:Im Bann der Mauer (1961-1964)
317:
953:Penal system in East Germany
943:Human trafficking in Germany
265:
215:contentious political merger
53:and the rapid succession of
7:
933:Cold War history of Germany
10:
974:
98:
938:Politics of East Germany
872:Hermann Wentker (2014).
304:
284:one-party dictatorship
248:between 1969 and 1982
127:
485:Claudia Lepp (2005).
295:Amnesty International
125:
792:"Urteil:Egon Franke"
136:convertible currency
70:German reunification
59:German reunification
431:. Munich / Vienna:
259:"Häftlingsfreikauf"
238:"Häftlingsfreikauf"
195:Ludwig A. Rehlinger
186:as "our mail man".
51:Peaceful Revolution
312:Häftlingsfreikäufe
299:Häftlingsfreikäufe
272:Häftlingsfreikäufe
128:
89:church communities
908:. 31 January 1994
574:978-3-861-53554-6
546:978-3-893-31344-0
207:Hans-Jochen Vogel
77:Protestant Church
20:Häftlingsfreikauf
965:
918:
917:
915:
913:
896:
890:
889:
887:
885:
869:
863:
862:
860:
858:
852:Die Tageszeitung
843:
837:
836:
834:
832:
817:
811:
810:
808:
806:
788:
782:
781:
779:
777:
759:
753:
752:
750:
748:
731:
725:
724:
722:
720:
712:Berliner Zeitung
702:
696:
695:
693:
691:
674:
668:
667:
665:
663:
647:
641:
640:
638:
636:
622:(22 June 1993).
616:
610:
609:
607:
605:
600:. 22 August 2008
588:
579:
578:
557:
551:
550:
529:
523:
522:
516:
512:
510:
502:
482:
473:
472:
470:
468:
453:
447:
446:
421:
412:
411:
409:
407:
402:. 31 August 1990
392:
386:
385:
383:
381:
363:
352:
351:
349:
347:
330:
255:general election
211:Hermann Kreutzer
191:Walter Priesnitz
167:originally from
973:
972:
968:
967:
966:
964:
963:
962:
923:
922:
921:
911:
909:
898:
897:
893:
883:
881:
870:
866:
856:
854:
844:
840:
830:
828:
827:. November 2010
819:
818:
814:
804:
802:
790:
789:
785:
775:
773:
761:
760:
756:
746:
744:
733:
732:
728:
718:
716:
703:
699:
689:
687:
676:
675:
671:
661:
659:
648:
644:
634:
632:
617:
613:
603:
601:
590:
589:
582:
575:
558:
554:
547:
533:Falco Werkentin
530:
526:
514:
513:
504:
503:
499:
483:
476:
466:
464:
454:
450:
443:
435:. p. 191.
425:Klaus Schroeder
422:
415:
405:
403:
394:
393:
389:
379:
377:
364:
355:
345:
343:
331:
324:
320:
307:
280:party hierarchy
268:
223:Khrushchev Thaw
109:Konrad Adenauer
101:
17:
12:
11:
5:
971:
961:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
920:
919:
891:
864:
838:
812:
783:
754:
726:
697:
669:
642:
629:New York Times
611:
597:Deutsche Welle
580:
573:
552:
545:
524:
497:
474:
448:
441:
413:
387:
353:
321:
319:
316:
306:
303:
267:
264:
203:Helmut Schmidt
199:Herbert Wehner
184:Helmut Schmidt
173:Wolfgang Vogel
100:
97:
40:Deutsche Marks
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
970:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
930:
928:
907:
906:
901:
895:
879:
875:
868:
853:
849:
842:
826:
822:
816:
800:
798:
793:
787:
771:
769:
764:
758:
742:
741:
736:
730:
715:
713:
708:
701:
685:
684:
679:
673:
657:
653:
646:
631:
630:
625:
621:
620:Joseph Finder
615:
599:
598:
593:
587:
585:
576:
570:
566:
562:
556:
548:
542:
538:
534:
528:
520:
508:
500:
498:3-525-55743-4
494:
490:
489:
481:
479:
463:
459:
452:
444:
442:3-446-19311-1
438:
434:
430:
426:
420:
418:
401:
397:
391:
376:
374:
369:
362:
360:
358:
342:
341:
336:
329:
327:
322:
315:
313:
302:
300:
296:
291:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
263:
260:
256:
251:
247:
243:
239:
234:
230:
229:Ludwig Geißel
226:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
187:
185:
181:
178:
174:
170:
165:
160:
158:
153:
152:Magirus-Deutz
148:
146:
142:
137:
132:
124:
120:
118:
114:
113:Rainer Barzel
110:
106:
96:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
73:
71:
67:
62:
60:
56:
52:
47:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
21:
910:. Retrieved
903:
894:
882:. Retrieved
877:
867:
855:. Retrieved
851:
841:
829:. Retrieved
824:
815:
803:. Retrieved
795:
786:
774:. Retrieved
766:
757:
745:. Retrieved
738:
729:
717:. Retrieved
710:
700:
688:. Retrieved
681:
672:
660:. Retrieved
655:
645:
633:. Retrieved
627:
614:
602:. Retrieved
595:
564:
561:Stefan Wolle
555:
536:
527:
487:
465:. Retrieved
461:
451:
433:Haner Verlag
428:
404:. Retrieved
399:
390:
378:. Retrieved
371:
344:. Retrieved
338:
311:
308:
298:
292:
271:
269:
258:
242:West Germany
237:
227:
188:
161:
149:
144:
141:Stefan Wolle
133:
129:
102:
74:
66:East Germany
63:
48:
44:West Germany
35:
19:
18:
797:Der Spiegel
768:Der Spiegel
740:Der Spiegel
683:Der Spiegel
515:|work=
373:Der Spiegel
301:programme.
250:Egon Franke
219:SED (party)
93:SED (party)
36:freigekauft
927:Categories
912:1 February
884:1 February
878:Sehepunkte
857:1 February
831:1 February
805:1 February
776:1 February
747:1 February
719:1 February
690:1 February
662:1 February
656:MAZ-online
635:1 February
604:1 February
467:31 January
406:31 January
380:31 January
346:31 January
318:References
180:leadership
517:ignored (
507:cite book
266:Criticism
81:Stuttgart
799:(online)
770:(online)
714:(online)
563:(1998).
427:(1998).
375:(online)
340:BBC News
233:Diakonie
164:Cold War
157:the west
85:Diakonie
30:and the
231:of the
171:called
169:Silesia
115:as the
99:History
55:changes
24:Germany
571:
543:
495:
439:
105:potash
905:Focus
177:party
162:With
914:2016
886:2016
859:2016
833:2016
807:2016
778:2016
749:2016
721:2016
692:2016
664:2016
637:2016
606:2016
569:ISBN
541:ISBN
519:help
493:ISBN
469:2016
437:ISBN
408:2016
382:2016
348:2016
305:Cost
276:1989
205:and
193:and
75:The
270:As
79:'s
929::
902:.
876:.
850:.
823:.
794:.
765:.
737:.
709:.
680:.
654:.
626:.
594:.
583:^
511::
509:}}
505:{{
477:^
460:.
416:^
398:.
370:.
356:^
337:.
325:^
201:,
119:.
95:.
72:.
916:.
888:.
861:.
835:.
809:.
780:.
751:.
723:.
694:.
666:.
639:.
608:.
577:.
549:.
521:)
501:.
471:.
445:.
410:.
384:.
350:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
