European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday May 3, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 9moscow knew of ouster plan Krenz says Berlin apr soviet president Mik. Hail s. Gorbachev was informed of plans to oust Erich Honecker two. Days before the East German leaders downfall in 1989, his successor testified thursday. Egon Krenz appearing at the amp Ial of East Germany a former Union Boss also acknowledged that the nations  party had made a fundamental Erro a the interweaving of the state and the amp. Communist party was a decisive political mistake a the 54-year-old Krenz said. In fact the communist party was the All powerful institution in East Germany As it was in other soviet bloc  who was East Germany a Leader for six weeks after Honecker a ouster on oct. 18, 1989, arrived at the Berlin courthouse looking tired and drawn. Krenz was testifying at the trial of Harry Tisch once the head of the 9 million member Freie Deutsche Ewerks charts bund labor federation. Tisch has been charged with breach of Trust for using Union funds for a 1984 youth festival and for private trips Krenz told the Berlin court that he Tisch and a third member of the ruling politburo met on oct. 14, 1989, to plan Honecker a downfall four Days later. The talks included mapping strategy to get a solid bloc of the 21 politburo members lined up against Honecker who was facing growing Public demands for democratic reforms. A it Wasny to easy to oust a Man who had three different functions a Krenz said. Honecker was the communist party Leader the nations president and its head of the armed forces. According to Krenz the planning was fraught with danger for those involved a there could have been an ouster from communist party offices and also an indictment for High treason a Krenz testified. Krenz has repeatedly Triet to put Forward the version of events that is most favourable to himself. According to Krenzis testimony Tisch flew to Moscow on oct. 16, 1989, to inform Gorbachev that Honecker was about to be kicked out after 18 years of hard line Rule. Gorbachev had urged Honecker to make reforms but the East German Leader refused. Krenz testified he had met with the soviet unions ambassador to East Germany to arrange the Tisch Gorbachev meeting. Quot a a Tisch directly worked on Honecker a downfall a Krenz testified. At the time pro democracy groups were putting increasing pressure on the government to make reforms after tens of thousands of East germans had fled to the West in search of a new life. That pressure eventually led to the opening of the Berlin Wall on nov. 9,1989. Krenz trained As a teacher did not say what he is doing now to earn a living. Although he was closely linked to Honecker a a regime he is not facing any criminal charges. It was Krenzis first courtroom testimony regarding the a peaceful revolution that toppled the communist party a 40-year Rule. A. A a a a. A. A a a. -. Tisch 64, is accused of misusing about 100 million East German Marks nearly $20 million by throwing a huge youth festival in 1984,. Krenz gave Strong testimony in Tischl a behalf. A in my View it was not a crime to spend 100 million Marks of curtion Money for a youth festival a Krenz said. Honecker 78, now in Moscow is out of the reach of German Law. Former East German Leader Egon covers his face on the Way to  planned for go in 22nd signal brigade h it Cost Germany a a memorial service will be held monday for a 22nd signal brigade Soldier who died tuesday from undetermined causes. Sgt., Belzer 35, assigned to cod 17th signal in at Mcnair Cavern in Hochst was pronounced dead by German medical authorities who were summoned after another Soldier was unable to awaken him. Belzer was participating in a Field exercise near Pitburg at the time of his death. The cause of death is under investigation and an autopsy will be conducted. The Frankfurt native is survived by his wife Kyong a 14-year-old son Daniel and his parents John Belzer and Edith Halberstadt. A the memorial service will be held in the Chapel on Atterberry Cavern in Frankfurt at 2 . 2 air Force pilots held by Iraq receive medals at Torr Jort a Torrejon a Spain a amps two . Air Force fighter pilots who were shot Down Over Baghdad were Given medals during recent ceremonies at Torrejon a. Maj. Jeffrey Tice and capt. Mike Roberts shot Down in their f-16 fighter jets Jan 19, were held by the iraqis for 45 Days. Tice 35, and Roberts 30, both assigned to the 614th tac fighter so at Torrejon received purple hearts prisoner of War and National defense medals. Maj. Gen. Gerald a. Daniel the 16th air Force commander presented the decorations. Ambassador Joseph Zappala the . Envoy to Spain spoke at the ceremony. Among the spectators was Roberts infant son Andrew who was born during his fathers Captivity. A the treatment i received varied widely at the four different prisons i was held in a Roberts said in a statement to the Media after he and Tice were released March 5. A i experienced physical abuse during four separate interrogations and one forced videotaping but was otherwise not  during a news conference in Washington after his release Tice described his experience with what he called the iraqi  a i had wires wrapped around my ears and under my Chin and was shocked periodically during Early Captivity when they were trying to make me do a videotape a said Tice of Sellersville a. Roberts arid Tice received clean Bills of health while in Washington according to an air Force spokesman. On april 24, both made their first Solo flights since being shot Down.7th medical come reservists leave Europe for states Heidelberg Germany a about 1,400 medical reservists serving in 7th medical come facilities returned to the United states from Europe this week re during their number in Europe to fewer than 750. The units included reservists from the 44th general Hospital Madison wis. 56th station Hospital Richmond a. And 94th general Hospital Mesquite a Texas. They headed Home tuesday and wednesday. Members of the 56th station Hospital also served on Active duty in the persian Gulf and in the United states. Medical and medical support reservists began arriving in Europe on dec. 18, replacing 7th medical come soldiers who deployed to the Middle East. Nearly 3,500 reservists from 18 units were on duty at army medical facilities in Europe by mid-january.1,600 gis return from Gulf to Stuttgart since weekend Stuttgart Germany a amps a More than 1,600 soldiers have flown Home from the persian Gulf Region to Stuttgart since the weekend a Vii corps spokeswoman said thursday. R three flights carrying soldiers of the 93rd signal brigade and the 207th military intelligence brigade arrived wednesday Hildegard Cintrone said. Other arrivals include troops from the 249th engr in on saturday the 31st medical group 204th my co and Vii corps he co on monday and the 4th, 5th and 6th battalions of the 159th aviation regt on tuesday. Also on tuesday 79 soldiers of cob 63rd signal in arrived from saudi Arabia in Frankfurt according to one of the company a platoon leaders. Karlsruhe Community takes action against 18 for drug related cases Karlsruhe Germany a amps drug related incidents in March 1990 have led to administrative actions againstl8 Karlsruhe military Community residents Over the past several months. A three of the 18 Are soldiers and their cases were turned Over to their commanders Community spokeswoman Ruth Dyal said. _ the other 15 Are . Civilians. Early this year it. Col. Fredric g. Hough Deputy Community commander ordered that the 15 lose All Post privileges and be returned Early to the United states. Ten of the 15 appealed to the Community commander col. Stephen a. Windsor Dyal said. Windsor upheld six suspensions and allowed the other four peo ple to remain in the Community provided they obtain counselling. A _ in the past few weeks three people whose appeals were rejected have sent the Community second letters of Appeal. But the Community plans to Tell them the decisions stand Dyal said. A the criminal investigation Comdr a five month probe of the related incidents also yielded 10 other suspects All . Citizens Dyal said. But the Community took no action because the investigation cleared them of wrongdoing or because evidence against them was lacking. Details about the investigation including the Type of drugs used were unavailable thursday. Hell Nikon a like a ghost town As it readies for june 28 closing hell Nikon a Greece a amps a about 90 percent of hell Nikon Abs military population is gone and More than 9 million pounds of equipment have been shipped out in anticipation of the base closure june 28. A hell Nikon looks More and More like a ghost town every Day a said it. Col. Randall Morgan director of the base closure Center. Only 153_ service members remain at hell Nikon located on Athens outskirts. The base once had 1,400 military personnel according to base spokeswoman capt. Lisa Jeffery. All but <20 of the 180 permanent buildings have been closed. Hell Nikon flight operations the bases primary Mission were halted March 10 in one of the first major Steps toward closing the base. Since then the Mission of personnel remaining at hell Nikon has been the closure. On april 15, the 2140th comm so and the Apollon hotel were deactivated Jeffery said. The base Hospital was to convert to an Aid station Friday. Only one of hellenic Kong a seven dining facilities remains open Jeffery said. Hell Nikon is being closed As a part of Cost cutting measures initiated by defense Secretary Dick Cheney. The base will be returned to the greeks