Who did Egon Krenz ask on 19 October 1989 to draft a new travel policy?

On 19 October 1989, Egon Krenz asked Gerhard Lauter to draft a new East German travel policy.

Krenz had taken over as East Germany’s leading figure after Erich Honecker resigned on 18 October. The government was facing mounting protests, a growing refugee crisis, and public anger over restrictions on foreign travel. Krenz instructed Lauter, a senior official in the Interior Ministry’s passport and registration administration, to prepare new rules.

Lauter initially worked with officials from several ministries, including foreign affairs, defense, state security, finance, transport, and justice. The group considered rules for both permanent emigration and ordinary private trips abroad. Their work eventually contributed to the regulations that Schabowski announced on 9 November, although the draft was revised repeatedly and the final announcement was mishandled.

This question is easy to confuse because several senior officials were involved in the wider crisis. Hans Modrow later became East Germany’s prime minister, Willi Stoph was a former head of government, and Gerhard Beil attended Schabowski’s press conference. Lauter was the official specifically tasked with drafting the travel policy.