The Pittsburgh Press (September 16, 1946)
After German elections…
Anti-Reds lead in British zone
Communist group wins in Russian area
BERLIN (UP) – Germany’s sharply divided politics was underlined today by clear-cut gains for three of the occupying powers in their respective zones.
The Communist-dominated Socialist Unity Party won in the Russian zone, the conservative Christian Democrats were ahead in the French zone, and there was a definite lead for the anti-Communist Christian and Social Democratic Parties in the British zone.
The Soviet-favored Unity Party rolled up an impressive lead in Brandenburg Province surrounding Berlin, finishing the municipal elections with 55 percent of the overall vote.
Reds trail in British zone
But in elections for township boards in the British zone, the Communists trailed all other recognized parties with only scattered votes.
The Unity Party failed to get a majority in Saxony state in the Russian zone, but did get a 55 percent vote in Saxony Province and Thuringia in the minor elections, and yesterday added a 60 percent total in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg.
Complete unofficial returns showed 1,421,700 for the Unity Party in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg.
Opposition votes divided
Opposition votes were divided between the Christian Democrats with 421,168 and the Liberal Democrats with 332,761.
On a zone-wide basis the Liberal Democrats polled 1,974,967 and the Christian Democrats 1,663,306.
Returns from the French zone were incomplete, but showed the Christian Democrats ahead by more than 2 to 1. Their total was 825,124 votes in 56 out of 98 electoral districts, with the Socialists second with 347,504 votes, and the Communists running a poor third with only 119,669.
With about half the vote tabulated in the British zone, the Christian and Social Democrats were leading other recognized parties, but independent candidates got the most votes.