In a conversation with Central Committee economics secretary Günter Mittag, Philipp Jenninger, secretary of state in the West German chancellery, stresses "that Chancellor Kohl is interested in further developing relations between the two German states. The Chancellor has reaffirmed that the policy of the FRG in relations between the two German states will remain predictable and reliable and that existing agreements and treaties will be upheld.
There is to be no breach of promise by the new West German government, and this is being considered as part of efforts towards peace. (…) In general, the intention is to keep up contacts in relations between the FRG and the GDR and to maintain continuity. This is also to be continued after the elections, whoever wins, for there is a broad basis for this view in the Bundestag. Erich Honecker is invited to make a return visit to the FRG for this year. (…) The date and preparations still have to be discussed. At any rate, such a visit would be an important milestone in joint efforts to resolve issues wherever they can be resolved."less
16 December
1982
Underground stamp of "Solidarity" from the detention camp in Strzebielinek near Gdansk (Source: Information bulletin published by panel of the committees and initiatives "Solidarität mit Solidarnosc" ("Solidarity with Solidarnosc"), 1981)
In Warsaw and Gdansk, thousands of Poles commemorate the Gdansk shipyard workers killed in 1970. Church services are accompanied by a massive deployment of state security forces; there is, however, no escalation.
RIAS telephone report on events commemorating the victims killed during strikes in Gdansk in 1970, 16 December 1982 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Die Spätausgabe, Reporter: Gerd Baumgarten)
RIAS documentation of the undelivered speech by Lech Walesa, 16 December 1982 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Die Spätausgabe)
