State Department suggest that Franz Josef Strauß, the CDU/CSU opposition’s candidate for Chancellor in the 1980 German federal election, may have offered to provide confidential information to the United States
According to a report published by “Der Spiegel”, Strauß contacted Zbigniew Brzezinski, then National Security Advisor to US President Jimmy Carter, on March 27, 1980 Records cited by the publication indicate Strauß initiated the call with an acknowledgement of Brzezinski’s busy schedule, stating, “I don’t want to waste your time, I know how much you have to do” He then reportedly proposed supplying information relating to political developments in both France and Germany
According to the report, Strauß offered to transmit the information “under the condition that my name remains outside of it” Brzezinski allegedly responded by instructing Strauß to send the information to his secretary Strauß is quoted as stating he had no intention of “denouncing anyone” but possessed a “special information network” and wished to share concerning developments
The documents do not indicate whether Strauß subsequently provided any substantive information
Jimmy Carter lost the US presidential election in November 1980, resulting in Brzezinski’s departure from his position Strauß remained Chairman of the CSU and Minister President of Bavaria until his death in 1988 Brzezinski passed away in 2017
