The former East German Communists are now the Party of Democratic Socialism. Under either title, the Marxists are immensely wealthy, with total assets of $2 billion. Last week, acting on a tip that the party had sent $70 million to Soviet accounts in European banks, police raided its headquarters in Berlin and the homes of private citizens in several cities.
Party chairman Gregor Gysi, who called the raids a monstrous action, said they were carried out without search warrants. Otto Lambsdorff, head of the Free Democratic Party, a partner in the coalition government in Bonn, said he learned with "extreme regret"...