European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Long Arm of the Sta Siby Stephen Kinzer the new York times the former East German secret police the Stasi no longer exists but last weekend it nonetheless claimed another life. Gerhard Riege a member of the Bonn parliament from Eastern Germany hanged himself on saturday after it was reported that he had been a Stasi informer in the 1950s. Quot i Don t have the strength to live and fight Quot Riege wrote in a suicide note. Quot i m afraid of the publicity the Way it will be handled by the  Riege s suicide has led some politicians to warn that Stasi files Are being opened too soon and too fully. Others insist the country continue to seek the full truth about Stasi repression no matter Bow painful. Under a Law approved by parliament late last year any citizen May have Access to his or her Complete Stasi file. Most files contain reports about the person s private life and political views submitted by informers under code names. Special librarians Al the Stasi archives can usually Tell the informer s True identity. Many Stasi victims who have seen their files have discovered that some of their friends co workers and even relatives were informers for the secret police. These discoveries have led to considerable private anguish and the breakup of Many friendships. They have also left former Stasi informers deeply embarrassed and in some cases overwhelmed with guilt. The Law opening Stasi files which went into effect Jan. 2, also empowers government agencies to request background checks on their  action line  these checks have resulted in the dismissal of thousands of judges police officers schoolteachers and other Public employees in Eastern Germany who once informed for the Stasi. Since the files were opened several politicians in Eastern Germany have been revealed As longtime Stasi informers. Among the most prominent was Josef Duchac who was ousted from his Post As Premier of the state of Thuringia last month after his former Stasi ties were made Public. The Premier of Brandenburg Manfred Stolpe who according to newly released files held hundreds of meetings with Stasi officers Over a 27-year period is facing pressure to quit. Stasi files have also shaken the German sports world. A member of the olympic bobsledding team Harald Ciudaj admitted that he furnished the Stasi with reports on his coaches and teammates.  so Many soccer players on the Dresden team have admitted to Stasi contacts that the franchise May collapse in the face of Public disgust. Quot something is wrong with the Way we Are looking into our past a complained Gregor Gysi Leader of the democratic socialist party in a Eulogy delivered at Riege s funeral. Raga had Baan a member of East Germany s communist party since 1946, and in 1990, when it renamed itself the democratic socialist party he remained an important member. Files found by investigators suggest that he had been an informer for the Stasi from 1954 to 1960. Even before he was officially identified As a Stasi Collaborator Riege had been the target of Many rumours. At a recent government session he was interrupted by jeering colleagues. Quot who restricted people you did Quot shouted one. Quot Stasi Lackey Quot shout cd another. Quot he a a Stasi brother Quot like other political parties the democratic socialists recently asked for background checks on All 13 of its members of parliament party leaders said Friday that three of the 13 were found to have worked for the Stasi. The party gave All three deputies a vote of Confidence but Riege evidently feared what one Friend called Quot unbearable social  another of the three democratic socialist deputies identified As former Stasi informers Jutta Braband announced this week that she would resign her seat in parliament. According to investigators Braband not Only provided reports to the Stasi but Quot participated actively in arresting  Riegers suicide led one member of parliament Hermann Scheer to warn that Quot Stasi hysteria was spreading through Germany. Quot we Are living through a Public Witch Hunt that is unworthy of a democratic state Quot Scheer said adding in a reference to Hitler s Brown shirted storm troopers Quot a country that allowed former a members and Hitler youth graduates to Rise to High government positions has no right to condemn a Man like Gerhard Riege because he had Contact with the Stasi from the Ages of 24 to 30.&Quot another member of parliament Wolfgang Thierse who was a Leader in the Campaign to open Stasi files urged germans to be tolerant of people revealed to have been Stasi operatives. Life in East Germany he said Quot meant a constant struggle to defend your  Quot it is inevitable that this involves compromises tactics diplomacy and yes mistakes Quot Thierse said. Quot we should avoid the impression that everyone was somehow  of Maryland explains credit system of a i am an air Force Retiree employed by the Berlin military Community. As an Active member of this command s Black employment committee i take every available Opportunity to help Young soldiers into the mainstream through the use of some of the excellent educational opportunities sponsored by the command and available to All personnel. My concern and reason for writing is education Why does the University of Maryland not accept computer courses such As word Star Lotus 1-2-3 and a base Iii offered to the Community through Cpd civilian personnel department ? these Are three of the courses covered by the manual Quot up and running Quot which is the current handbook being employed in Maryland s Gapp group of seminars. I am aware that these courses will not appear in the Ace guide and i know that most institutes of higher learning will not accept Quot Junior College Quot courses a including Community College of the air Force courses a once the student has amassed 60 credit hours. Nevertheless it would seem to me that some sort of arrangement could be reached to the satisfaction of Al involved in an Effort to obviate this redundancy in instruction time and in some cases Money. Frank m. Reynolds Berlin Paul w. Brewer director student services Una Wesliy of Maryland european Region replies like Many colleges and institutions of higher learning the University of Maryland awards credit for a variety of non traditional learning experiences As Well As for traditional or Quot classroom Quot learning. Just As students can earn credit toward Maryland certificate and degree programs for the College courses they take with Maryland and other schools they also can receive credit for the learning they acquire through service schools and their military experiences from the proficiency they demonstrate on standardized proficiency examinations Tike Clep and Dantes and for learning they acquire in the civilian sector. For each of these potential non traditional credit sources there is an Independent external evaluation source. Generally the University of Maryland and other colleges and universities rely upon the standardized credit recommendations of the american Council on education Ace. For learning acquired through military experiences Maryland and other institutions of higher learning use the Ace guide to the evaluation of educational experiences in the armed services. For credit awards for civilian training two and four year colies use the Ace National guide to educational credit for training programs. Similarly colleges and universities use the credit recommendations of Ace in awarding credit for proficiency demonstrated on examinations like Clep and Dantes. In All of these non traditional learning areas the credit awards Maryland and other schools make Are made meaningful because of the standardized recommendations of an Independent external evaluations body Ace. This enables students who Transfer from one College to another to present credits for non traditional learning which Are much More Likely to be recognized among the Many colleges and universities who follow the recommendations of the american Council on education this is a distinct advantage for students. The University of Maryland is aware that some non traditional learning experiences have not been evaluated by an Agency Tike Ace. Periodically in cooperation with the military education officials Maryland has sought to have Ace make credit recommendations about a potential credit source for which there were no. Standardized credit recommendations. Maryland also has had representatives of the University serve on Ace evaluation panels seeking to develop new credit recommendations. It is possible Ace could be approached about making credit recommendations for the Type of training programs in Berlin you mention if you care to Contact me i would be Happy to discuss the matter  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the quest bus about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes saturday february 22, 1992