Social Democratic Party East Germany

East Germany's four-month-old government survived its first real crisis Friday when the coalition's two major parties buried their differences on a key point in the unification process. Following a meeting Friday morning, the East German Social Democrats withdrew their threat to leave the four-party coalition after Prime Minister Lothar De Maiziere dropped his opposition to a joint all-German election next December.

Less than one week before German unification, the East and West German Social Democratic parties merged into a single organization and pledged to help the new Germany "find its place in a peaceful Europe." When the two countries unite next Wednesday, the Social Democratic Party, or SPD, will be the largest opposition group to the conservative-led government of Chancellor Helmut Kohl in December elections.

Less than one week before German unification, the East and West German Social Democratic parties merged into a single organization and pledged to help the new Germany "find its place in a peaceful Europe." When the two countries unite next Wednesday, the Social Democratic Party, or SPD, will be the largest opposition group to the conservative-led government of Chancellor Helmut Kohl in December elections.

East Germany's four-month-old government survived its first real crisis Friday when the coalition's two major parties buried their differences on a key point in the unification process. Following a meeting Friday morning, the East German Social Democrats withdrew their threat to leave the four-party coalition after Prime Minister Lothar De Maiziere dropped his opposition to a joint all-German election next December.

East Germany's second-largest political faction Saturday endorsed joint German elections in December, greatly increasing the chances that one government will be running a united Germany within six months. East Germany's Social Democrats had said earlier that joint elections, and full German unification, should not take place until late next year. Party chief Sabine Riebe said her party will meet with West German Social Democrats on Sept. 26 to merge their parties.

The East German Social Democratic Party, which is given a good chance of winning next month's first competitive election, endorsed reunification without reservations Sunday and proposed a "binding timetable" to keep the process on track.

They occupy half a dozen back rooms in the depressing stone structure that once housed Joseph Goebbels' Nazi Propaganda Ministry--but the mood is buoyant. An East German opinion poll indicated Wednesday that the new Social Democratic Party has swept to a commanding lead in the national elections scheduled for March 18. The poll by Leipzig's Central Institute for Youth Research shows the fledging party winning 54% of the vote if the election were held now.

Ending days of uncertainty and indecision, the two largest two political groupings in East Germany's fledgling democracy agreed in principle Wednesday to join in a broad coalition that would take the country into reunification with West Germany. The agreement, between the Alliance for Germany and the Social Democrats, came on the eve of the opening session of East Germany's first freely elected Parliament.

The reeling East German Communist Party received another sharp blow late Sunday with the resignation of one of its brightest reformist stars. The 46-year-old mayor of Dresden, Wolfgang Berghofer, announced he is leaving the party along with 39 other senior party members from the southern part of the country. The group demanded that the party disband.

East Germany's second-largest political faction Saturday endorsed joint German elections in December, greatly increasing the chances that one government will be running a united Germany within six months. East Germany's Social Democrats had said earlier that joint elections, and full German unification, should not take place until late next year. Party chief Sabine Riebe said her party will meet with West German Social Democrats on Sept. 26 to merge their parties.

Ending days of uncertainty and indecision, the two largest two political groupings in East Germany's fledgling democracy agreed in principle Wednesday to join in a broad coalition that would take the country into reunification with West Germany. The agreement, between the Alliance for Germany and the Social Democrats, came on the eve of the opening session of East Germany's first freely elected Parliament.

The East German Social Democratic Party, which is given a good chance of winning next month's first competitive election, endorsed reunification without reservations Sunday and proposed a "binding timetable" to keep the process on track.

They occupy half a dozen back rooms in the depressing stone structure that once housed Joseph Goebbels' Nazi Propaganda Ministry--but the mood is buoyant. An East German opinion poll indicated Wednesday that the new Social Democratic Party has swept to a commanding lead in the national elections scheduled for March 18. The poll by Leipzig's Central Institute for Youth Research shows the fledging party winning 54% of the vote if the election were held now.

The reeling East German Communist Party received another sharp blow late Sunday with the resignation of one of its brightest reformist stars. The 46-year-old mayor of Dresden, Wolfgang Berghofer, announced he is leaving the party along with 39 other senior party members from the southern part of the country. The group demanded that the party disband.