Brandt denies spy allegations

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 6

Brandt denies spy allegations

The former Chancellor of West Germany Willy Brandt, has described as “baseless” allegations by a syndicated American columnist, Jack Andersoh, that he spied in the 1950 s for both the United States Central Intelligence Agency and the Soviet K.G.B. the weekly “Stern” reports in this week’s issue. Mr Brandt was questioned by “Stern” in connection with reports by Anderson, also published in “Stern” that in West Berlin in the 1950 s he was a paid C.1.A.-K.G.B. double agent and supplied the C.I.A. with “sensational” information about East Germany and the Soviet Union. Anderson cited as his sources four former C.I.A. agents. “Stern” said that in 1977 President Jimmy Carter described as baseless allegations that Mr Brandt had spied for the C.I.A. But according to Anderson as quoted by "Stern,” not only Mr Brandt

but also his Social Democratic Party received C.I.A. money until 1956. The magazine also quoted Anderson’s chief assistant as saying their informants had decided to talk because they feared that Mr Brandt might stand as candidate to succeed Helmut Schmidt if Mr Schmidt resigns the chancellorship. “Stern” said that Mr Brandt’s enemies in Washington “have long suspected the ex-Chancellor of wanting to conduct the most faithful ally of the U.S. into neutrality.” But Mr, Brandt’s friends, backed, “Stern” says, by the German experts of the State Department, believe that the far Right in Bonn and Washington is out to “get Brandt.” “Stern” quoted the Social Democratic Party’s spokesman as saying that “these machinations do not encourage one to have confidence in the United States."