The construction of the Berlin Wall shattered many a family dream. Before it was completed, tens of thousands of refugees took their last chance to escape to the West. But in 1971 and 1972, a series of agreements were signed to simplify and ease visits by family members across the border.

But there are differences in how the two Germanies handle family visits that reflect different attitudes toward inter-German relations.

East Germany wants to have cross recognition so that each government would assume the status of an independent state. As a result, they handle this matter through the Foreign Ministry. West Germany, on the other hand, views the visits as a domestic matter, and handles them through their special Ministry of Inter-German Relations.

West Germany is completely open to visits from the East, and East Germans may even assume residence or citizenship in the West. East Germany has a wide variety of restrictions, however, which has prompted the FRG to issue a handbook to travelers headed East-bound. Among the restrictions noted therein are those on bringing printed or recorded matter into East Germany or (relaxed during Erich Honecker's recent visit to Bonn), a requirement to exchange money at the official rate of one: one (versus the black market rate of 4.25 East German marks to one West German mark), and minimum daily required spending by West Germans while they are in the East. West Germany also pays for a wide variety of services, including a maintenance fee for the highway running through East German territory from the West to Berlin. It is estimated that East Germany earns about two billion marks a year through these various devices.

As for those East Germans who want to visit relatives in the West, the East German authorities have quite strict conditions. Military, police, Communist party, or government officials not only may not go at all, they may not even exchange mail. For the ordinary person, one must still be sixty-five for men or sixty for women, and already retired, before one can even apply. Some exceptions are made for illness or special family occasions like weddings or funerals.

Applications must still get approval, of course. For those who have already visited, and then returned, approval is quite easy. But if one has relatives who have not returned from visits, approval is nearly impossible.

According to the West German magazine Der Spiegel in an August 31 report, 100,000 East Germans visited West Germany in 1984. In 1985 the figure was down to 66,000, but shot up to half a million in 1986. In the wake of this year's visit by Erich Honecker--partly for family reasons it is expected that 1987 visits will reach one million.

The flock of visitors naturally also carries security risks, and some, like Wu Tung-yeh of the Institute of International Relations, fear that Taiwan might be more vulnerable than West Germany to espionage activity. Several notorious spy cases involving East German agents posing as refugees have surfaced, but as yet have not destabilized West Germany. Wu conservatively estimates that of total East German visitors or immigrants to the West, at least 20,000 were "on duty."

Lee Tsai-fang of Tamkang University takes note of the security problem, but points out that other problems also loom large. For example, visitors between the two Germanies have the protection of guarantees written into agreements between the parties. For travelers from Taiwan to the mainland, there are no such guarantees. What if Taiwan visitors fall afoul of the police? Or how about men who left wives behind in coming to Taiwan in 1949 and remarried on the island--will they be considered in violation of the mainland marriage laws? And what if people from the mainland ask to come to Taiwan--how should that be handled?

Another problem arises from exposure to mainland Chinese propaganda. Wu Tung-yeh notes that regardless of the anti-Communist content of education in Taiwan, not everyone can be "absolutely immunized."

The new ROC initiative has created a stir not only at home but abroad as well, especially in Korea, also a divided nation. South and North Korea began talks on the issue of that land's ten million persons who are members of divided families at the suggestion of the South Korean Red Cross. Through the dozen or so rounds of talks held to date, the two sides have touched on many issues. But thus far the talks have yielded only one highly publicized exchange of a small number of visitors and an arts troupe. The initiative of the ROC has prompted calls in Korea for similar steps there.

It is the reconstruction of Taiwan, due to the hard work of its 19 million residents, that has laid the basis for this new policy. But to insure the security of those who would visit their relatives in mainland China, and of the country as a whole, it is necessary to explore more deeply and clearly the precise method by which to implement this policy.

[Picture Caption]

John F. Kennedy said that the Berlin wall is the touchstone of Western courage, because it is the place where Communism and Democracy meet face to face, and muzzle to muzzle. (photo by Chrissie Lu)

The village of Panmunjom at the 38th Parallel marks the ceasefire line between the armies of North and South Korea, and is the site of talks between their respective Red Cross organizations. (photo by Vincent Chang)

The village of Panmunjom at the 38th Parallel marks the ceasefire line between the armies of North and South Korea, and is the site of talks between their respective Red Cross organizations. （photo by Vincent Chang）