Party Chief’s Quotes Threaten To Fuel Row (Press, 28 January 1984)

The situation surrounding the dismissal of German General Guenther Kiessling escalated into a potential political crisis in West Germany on 28 January 1984. The influential newspaper "Die Welt" reported comments attributed to Bavarian Minister-President, Mr Franz Josef Strauss, who was purportedly calling for a Cabinet reshuffle amid rising scrutiny concerning the government's handling of the Kiessling affair. The newspaper claimed that Strauss expressed a willingness to take over the defence portfolio from Minister Mr Manfred Woerner, who faced mounting pressure to resign due to doubts regarding the justification for Kiessling's firing. General Kiessling, who served as one of NATO's two Deputy Supreme Commanders, had been labelled a security risk following allegations that he frequented a homosexual bar. This raised questions about the legitimacy of the evidence supporting his dismissal. Additionally, Economic Minister Dr Otto Count Lambsdorff could also be at risk of resignation due to a separate legal issue involving political bribery from the late 1970s. Despite Strauss's denial of the statements attributed to him by "Die Welt", the report claimed he suggested changes were needed within the Foreign and Economics Ministries and indicated that the Foreign Ministry would be a desirable position for him. Strauss, who previously served as Defence Minister, stated he would only accept the defence position with reluctance and insisted that any consideration for the vice-chancellorship held by Foreign Minister Mr Hans-Dietrich Genscher would have to accompany it. The editorial staff of "Die Welt" stood by their report, insisting it accurately captured Strauss's sentiments during a phone conversation. Concurrently, a special Parliamentary committee convened to review the circumstances surrounding General Kiessling’s retirement. Calls for Woerner's resignation intensified as further details emerged regarding his secretive meetings with a controversial figure connected to a homosexual magazine, which detracted from his credibility amid public scrutiny. Moreover, it was revealed that a stolen briefcase containing diagrams of an air-to-ground missile, relevant to the Luftwaffe’s Alpha Jet trainer-attack planes, had been discovered near Stuttgart. Although the Defence Ministry clarified that the diagrams were not proprietary military designs but rather associated with the Dornier aviation company, the incident raised additional concerns about security within the defence sector. Overall, the political landscape in Bonn remained precarious as Dr Helmut Kohl was expected to address the situation and make crucial decisions regarding the future of his ministers upon his return from a trip to Israel. The unfolding events highlighted a volatile intersection of military concerns, personal controversies, and political ambitions within the West German government.

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