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Chronicle 1974

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    • 3 May

      1974

      Erich Honecker on 3 May 1974: "A perfectly clear view of the target must be guaranteed everywhere (…); firearms must be used ruthlessly"
      Erich Honecker on 3 May 1974: "A perfectly clear view of the target must be guaranteed everywhere (…); firearms must be used ruthlessly" (Photo: Polizeihistorische Sammlung/Der Polizeipräsident in Berlin)
      In view of the high number of escape attempts (3,004) in 1973 (1972: 2,699) and 242 successful "border breakthroughs", Erich Honecker reaffirms the order to shoot to kill: "A perfectly clear view of the target must be guaranteed everywhere (…);

      as previously, firearms must be used ruthlessly in the case of attempts to break through the border, and the comrades who have used firearms successfully are to be commended." In the new order "DV 018/0/008" for the GDR border troops, the use of firearms is to be announced in advance by the call "Stop! Border guard! Hands up!" But frequently, border troops fire at a distance of 100 to 300 metres.

      Rules for the use of firearms by GDR border troops in the order 018/0/008, 1974 (excerpt in German) Minutes of the 45th meeting of the National Defence Council of the GDR, 3 May 1974 (excerpt in German) less

    • 8 May

      1974

      German-German sports agreement between the "Deutscher Sportbund" ("German Sports Federation") (DSB) and the "Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund" ("German Gymnastics and Sports Federation") (DTSB). The agreement includes 33 planned joint events.

    • 15/16 May

      1974

      The FDP politician and former foreign minister Walter Scheel is elected as new West German president. The following day, Helmut Schmidt is elected Chancellor by the German Bundestag.
      RIAS report on the election of Helmut Schmidt as Chancellor, 16 May 1974 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Rundschau am Mittag, Moderator/Reporter: Jürgen Schiller, Jürgen Rusche)
      Statement by CDU chairman Helmut Kohl and CSU chairman Franz Josef Strauss on the election of Helmut Schmidt as Chancellor, 16 May 1974 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Rundschau am Mittag, Moderator/Reporter: Jürgen Schiller, Jürgen Rusche)
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