The Central Committee administration of the SED advises the GDR state authorities that the legal provisions of the GDR do not "include any right to move to non-socialist states". Any reference to the Helsinki Final Act or other documents concerning international law is made punishable by law.
The Central Committee administration says that permission to migrate could be given only in exceptional cases and for humanitarian reasons to citizens who were not able to work – pensioners and invalids – and to spouses for the purposes of reunification if their husband or wife had already moved to the West with state permission. The secret resolution of the Central Committee administration forms the basis for drawing up corresponding internal administrative regulations by the GDR Council of Ministers.less
17 February
1977
In an interview with the newspaper "Saarbrücker Zeitung", Erich Honecker confirms that there have been some 10,000 applications by GDR citizens to leave the country. At the same time, he calls on the West German government to recognise GDR citizenship, saying that this was the only way that travel and leaving the GDR could be made easier.
24 February
1977
While filming in West Berlin, the GDR comedian Eberhard Cohrs says he does not want to return to East Germany.
RIAS report on the departure of the GDR comedian Eberhard Cohrs to West Berlin, 24 February 1977 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Rundschau am Abend, Moderator/Reporter: Willi Knecht, H. Wenderoth)
