Hundreds of East Germans fled to Czechoslovakia Wednesday after the government lifted travel restrictions, and a top communist official for the first time said the future of the Berlin Wall could be open to discussion.
Also, East German officials acknowledged that the country's rigidly planned economy is in serious trouble and that sweeping reform may be on the way.East Germany Wednesday lifted restrictions that had barred most travel to Czechoslovakia since Oct. 3. Former Communist Party leader Erich Honecker imposed the ban to stem the flow of thousands of refugees fleeing West through West Germany's embassy in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
New party leader Egon Krenz rescinded the ban and has also hinted that a new law giving East Germans greater travel freedom would be studied. Czechoslovakia is the only country East Germans can visit without permission.
Hours after the ban was lifted, more than 200 East Germans arrived at the West German compound in Prague.
Earlier, communist authorities in East Berlin agreed to issue documents allowing East Germans in the West German Embassy to travel West. A similar arrangement is under way in Poland.
In Moscow, Krenz ruled out the idea of tearing down the Berlin Wall as well as the possibility of reuniting the two Germanys.
But in Kiel, West Germany, a communist official for the first time publicly said the government may be willing to relax its view on the need for the Wall.
The opening of borders in other Soviet bloc countries was making the Berlin Wall's significance "limited and illusory," said Johannes Chemnitzer, the top-ranking Communist in Neubrandenburg.
Replying to a question about whether that meant the future of the Berlin Wall is now open to discussion, Chemnitzer replied: "Surely."
Krenz held talks this week in Moscow with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to discuss possible reforms in East Germany. Krenz said he and Gorbachev reached "total agreement on all questions discussed."