German communists aim for comeback

Gabi Zimmer apologises for her party's past actions

By Rob Broomby in Berlin

Germany's reformed communist party, the PDS, has publicly apologised for forcefully swallowing up the former East German Social Democrat party 55 years ago as the iron curtain descended across Europe.

A statement of regret sent to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) was received with a grudging welcome from the SPD president in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.

[The PDS] remains a party of the east... and it will stay that way

Political Scientist Andreas Kiesling

But commentators think there is more to this move than simply an attempt to right past wrongs - especially in view of the Bundestag elections in 2002.

A cartoon in the daily Tagespiegel said it all. The reformed communist PDS leader Gabi Zimmer is scribbling a postcard.

"Dear SPD," she writes, "Please forgive our earlier forced marriage. I hope we can now organise a love marriage."

"Fresh start"

After their forced incorporation, the Social Democrats in eastern Germany remained in the communists' iron grip until the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989.

The PDS has apologised for many of the sins of its political fathers in an attempt to make a fresh start.

The PDS is hoping to team up with Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats

But in saying sorry to the SPD it has been suggested the party wants to clear the decks of embarrassing historical baggage - with the long-term goal of joining in government.

On the face of it the apology appeared candid and unreserved.

The foundation of the Socialist Unity Party - as the communists were then known - was "executed with political deception, force and repression", according to Gabi Zimmer.

The SPD General Secretary Franz Münterfering said the apology was "overdue". The Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse added that the gesture was to be welcomed even if it was not especially courageous.

But for Andreas Kiesling of the Centre for Applied Policy Research all the apology amounted to was "political posturing".

"It had to be done to give the impression of that the PDS is a normal party," he said.

Aspirations to government

Unlike other eastern block countries, the former communists have never really made a breakthrough in Germany. Disillusioned though many in the former east may be, they also know that western wealth has cushioned the painful transition from communism.

"[The PDS] remains a party of the east", says Andreas Kiesling, "and it will stay that way"

But the taboo on former communist participation in government has already been challenged in the eastern states.

The PDS already shares power with the Social Democrats in the government of the Baltic coast state of Mecklenburg Vorpomern. And in Saxon Anhalt the PDS has propped-up an SPD minority government without actually joining it.

In reality the SPD will need the former communists if they are to capture eastern states from the Christian Democrats.

But sharing power at the federal level remains out of the question for most commentators.

It would tarnish the image of a Chancellor who has just silenced the left of his own party by squeezing out his troublesome finance minister, Oskar Lafontaine. He scarcely needs another left wing to cause him trouble.

Moreover, he already has two small parties vying for a bit of the government action.

The Greens share the coalition now and will continue to do so as long as they continue to get at least 5% of the popular vote required to let them into the Bundestag.

If that fails the free marketeers of the FDP are eager and willing to take their place.

There is a long march still ahead before the reformed communists will be granted a share of power. But they want to be seen as suitable contenders nonetheless.