Germany's best-known socialist is once again in the spotlight because of his contacts with the Stasi, the East German secret service. So far, nothing has stuck - but this time the accusation is particularly serious.
"Mr. Gysi - it's enough" is the title of the appeal signed by 30 members of the Bundestag and former East German civil rights activists. It states, among other things, that as long as he distorts his role, "we will always remind him of his distortions." What is meant are Gregor Gysi's dealings with the Stasi. The first signatories of the text, written in 1994, included the current Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was then German Minister for Women and Youth in Helmut Kohl's cabinet.
The East German secret police has long cast a shadow over the now 65-year-old. Again and again, he is accused of having been an informal employee (IM) of the Stasi and betrayed his clients in his capacity as attorney. These included such names as the late regime critics Robert Havemann and Bärbel Bohley. Gysi has always taken legal action against the allegations - to date successfully.
Action against "the Gysi file"
In the current case, the public prosecutor in Hamburg is investigating on suspicion of perjury. This was triggered by the action of a retired judge. He doubts Gysi's claim that he had "at no time knowingly and willingly reported on clients or anyone to the state security." This statement, sworn under oath, came from a legal action that Gysi brought against public broadcaster NDR in 2011. NDR subsequently published a cease and desist declaration that it would no longer accuse Gysi of having knowingly worked for the Stasi in the documentary "The Gysi File."
Joachim Gauck (r.) concluded that Gysi had had 'long-standing contacts' with the Stasi
The first accusations were made against the parliamentary leader of the Left Party shortly after German reunification in 1990. Files were found in the Stasi Records Authority that suggested Gysi had engaged in spying.
The first head of this institution to be elected by parliament was pastor Joachim Gauck - today Germany's president. In a 1995 report he concluded that "long-standing contacts existed between Dr. Gysi and Department XX". This Stasi unit had control of "preventive circumvention, detection and combating of underground political activity."
Alias Gregor, Notary and Sputnik
According to the report, the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) gave Gysi the code names "Gregory", "Notary" and "Sputnik". The documents that were found suggested that "Gysi as legal representative of opposition citizens helped promote the interests of the Stasi and passed on client-related information to it." The fact that despite this assessment Gysi has for about two decades successfully defended himself against charges of collaboration with the Stasi, is mainly due to lack of evidence. The Gauck report states that according to the documents it was not possible to prove a "formal commitment of Dr. Gysi as an IM."
No document in which Gysi can be linked to Stasi activities with his signature has yet been found. This circumstance makes it easier for Gysi to argue that he was probably used by the Stasi without his knowledge. The majority of the parliamentary immunity committee came to a different conclusion in 1998. With the votes of Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens, the panel concluded Gysi's Stasi activities had been proved.
Political opponent provides support
Gysi's guilt not totally proved, argued the FDP's Jörg van Essen
The Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), the successor to the East German communist party, SED, and predecessor to today's Left Party did not, of course, vote with the majority. But the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) saw no proof of Gysi's alleged spying activities. The parliamentary secretary of the FDP, Jörg van Essen, discovered "a series of exculpatory pieces of evidence" and statements by Gysi "that cannot be refuted in most cases."
But van Essen also spoke of substantial evidence, that indicated Gysi's collaboration with the Stasi. But, following the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt, he stood up for the accused. His conclusion: the actual operation of the Stasi could "no longer be reconstructed."
Gysi's few supporters outside the party include SPD politician Richard Schröder. Like Gysi, he comes from former East Germany and is Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Stasi Records Authority. With regard to the Stasi allegations, Schröder told the "Berliner Zeitung" newspaper that in his view, Gysi "did not violate his sworn statement." And with a view to the investigation of the Hamburg public prosecutor, Schroeder added: "Not every suspicion that is expressed today has substance."
Best election result after Stasi debate
In a statement, the Left parliamentary group wrote " Campaigns against Gysi and the Left are held regularly before a general election." A fairly accurate perception, because there were parliamentary elections in 1994 and in 1998. In the years afterward, Gysi defended himself successfully several times against media reports. These often came from newspapers owned by either the conservative Springer group, the left-liberal news magazine "Der Spiegel" and political magazines broadcast on German public television.
Parliament most recently addressed Gysi's alleged Stasi involvement in a special session in 2008 - a year before the election. At the time, he accused his colleagues of trying for years "to damage me and to hit my party." In the 2009 parliamentary elections, the Left Party under Gysi garnered 11.9 percent of the popular vote. It was by far the party's best result. dw de
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