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Article: Beyond the Tiedge affair. (Hans Joachim Tiedge, defection to East Germany of West Germany's top official)
- Article from:
- National Review
- Article date:
- October 4, 1985
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1985 National Review, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE DEFECTION to East Germany of Bonn's top official for counterespionage, Hans Joachim Tiedge, along with several secretaries working for high government officials, reveals something of the unique vulnerabilities of the Federal Republic in the realm of intelligence. West Germany's foreign policy, defense policy, and intelligence efforts all suffer from a peculiar, if understandable, schizophrenia brought about by trying to view the East Germans both as adversaries and as fellow countrymen. East Germans who emigrate or defect to the West are granted immediate citizenship, regardless of their background and without security checks. A commonality of language and nationality ...