Krenz Disbands East German Politburo

BERLIN--Communist Party chief Egon Krenz yesterday ousted the old guard from the ruling Politburo and replaced them with reformers in a desperate to stymie widespread unrest and strengthen his three-week-old leadership."

Thousands of East Germans disillusioned by 40 years of communist rule and skeptical of promised reforms continued to flood from their homeland, with more than 50,000 reaching West Germany since Saturday. Proreform groups pleaded with their compatriots to stay and help "build a real democratic society."

Krenz hurled a stinging attack on his predecessor and long-time political patron Erich Honecker, and communist authorities took the first steps toward registering New Forum, the nation's largest pro-democracy group.

And in another first, a top communists held out the possibility of free elections, a major demand of those who have demonstrated for democracy.

"Our country is going through a tense and extremely difficult development," Krenz said in a speech to the Central Committee, which unanimously approved his proposal to dissolve the entire 21-member Politburo.

The Central Committee announced the election of a new 11-member Politburo and reaffirmed Krenz, 52, as theparty's secretary general. Krenz and six otherPolitburo members were re-elected.

The committee elevated four new members to thePolitburo, the nation's most powerfuldecision-making body. They included Hans Modrow,the 61-year-old Dresden party chief who is said tobe a leading advocate for democratic reforms and acandidate for the post of premier.

In Washington, deputy White House presssecretary Roman Popadiuk said the Bushadministration hoped the shake-up "is a step onthe road to stable and evolutionary reform."

The United States hopes East German leaderswill use the changes as an opportunity toestablish a dialogue with its own citizens "so thedesire for peaceful change can be met," Popadiuksaid.

All of the aging Politburo members dropped wereclosely associated with Honecker, whom Krenzreplaced October 18.

Krenz accused the old guard of "hesitant, evenrepelling, attitudes and partly dogmatic, partlyarrogant tendencies toward developments in theSoviet Union."

He said the responsibility for the nation'sturmoil rested with those party members "who madesubjective decisions over the important questionsin the society by thinking that this was theopinion of all party members."

He also said independent, non-communist groupswould be allowed a greater role in society.

It was unclear how much power any such groupwould have because the constitution guarantees theleading role of the Communist Party. Krenz hassaid the Communists' role is not a matter ofdebate.

The Interior Ministry has accepted New Forum'sapplication for registration as a legal entity andwill decide in three months whether to recognizethe pro-democracy group, outlawed in September buttolerated of late.

Krenz has been under growing pressure at homeand abroad to allow free, multi-party electionslike those held in Poland and those planned forHungary.

"When we have an election law that gives allpolitical forces the opportunity to draw up andrepresent their own programs, the Communist Partywill stand," said Politburo member GuenterSchabowski, the party's new propaganda chief.

Schabowski, the East Berlin party chief and aleading reform advocate, gave no timetable ordetails, and said the party would not embark onsuch a course "with the suicidal notion that itcould be swept from the political stage.