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September 17, 1970

Concerning the Note of the GDR Ambassador in the USSR 'Regarding Several Pressing Political Issues in Connection with the Preparation of the 20th Summer Olympic Games in Munich and Kiel in 1972'

[CPSU CC stamp:

30543

18 SEP 70

2nd SECTOR

SUBJECT TO RETURN

TO THE CPSU CC

GENERAL DEPARTMENT]

 

CPSU CC

 

Concerning the Note of the GDR Ambassador in the USSR "Regarding Several Pressing Political Issues in Connection with the Preparation of the 20th Summer Olympic Games in Munich and Kiel in 1972"

 

A meeting was held with GDR Ambassador Cde. Bittner in the CPSU CC Propaganda Department on 1 September of this year in the course of which he passed a note "Regarding Several Pressing Political Issues in Connection with the Preparation of the 20th Summer Olympic Games in Munich and Kiel in 1972" and asked that CPSU CC secretaries be informed about this.

 

In the note the German comrades provide information that reactionary forces in the FRG are striving to use the preparation for and the holding of the Summer Olympic Games in 1972 to realize their aggressive policy directed primarily against the socialist countries.  At the present time, when determining the route of the delivery of the Olympic flame from Greece to Munich, the leaders of West German sports are striving to include as many European countries as possible, including socialist countries. The FRG organizing committee for holding the Olympic Games plans to organize youth and student camps and also a large cultural program.

 

The Committee for Physical Culture and Sports under the USSR Council of Ministers has examined the issues raised in the note and has reported that on 6 August of this year Cde. Ewald, the President of the German Sports and Gymnastic Union (DTSB), was sent information about Soviet sports organizations' refusal to take part in the relay of the Olympic flame. In the Committee's opinion the route of the Olympic flame ought to be the shortest, as has occurred in the past.

 

As regards the issue of a youth camp, the Sports Committee think it advisable to send well-prepared groups of young people to Munich from the USSR and the other socialist countries to carry out information and propaganda work through the channels of the Komsomol and youth organizations.

 

Regarding the issue of the cultural program during the Olympics the Committee suggested sending one or two artistic collectives from the USSR and the other socialist countries to show the achievements of the countries of the socialist commonwealth in the field of culture.

 

The Committee proposes submitting the enumerated problems for discussion at a conference of the leaders of sports organizations of the socialist countries which will be held in September 1970 in Moscow to work out mutually agreeable positions.

 

The Department thinks it possible to agree with the proposals of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports under the USSR Council of Ministers and to inform the GDR ambassador about them.

 

We request [your] agreement.

 

Deputy Chief of the CPSU CC
Propaganda Department
[signature]
(Yu. Sklyarov)

 

17 September 1970

 

 

 

[At the bottom of the first page:]

[4 illegible signatures]
2185s
18 September 1970
completed [
oformleno]
22 September 1970 [illegible signature]

The East German ambassador passes along concerns that the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich will be used by West Germany for anti-socialist purposes.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

RGANI f.4, op. 20, d. 97, ll. 119-120. Obtained for CWIHP by Mikhail Prozumenshikov and translated by Gary Goldberg.

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Original Uploaded Date

2015-11-25

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Report

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Record ID

122936