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Originally Posted by Mohoender
An interesting observation but what if it had come the other way around. Why not assuming that the small group of senior officers was backed by a large number of lower ranking officers (colonels and captains)? Then, while the small group of generals were conducting talks with the west, the lower ranks officers would start to prepare the army for the coup while most high ranking officers and officials were left in the dark.
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For reasons of security if nothing else. The more people involved, the more likely somebody will talk to the wrong person and the whole game is up.
I think we can safely assume that word did not leak out before the West Germans moved across the border because if it had, the Soviets undoubtably would have moved against those involved.
The KGB at the time would have to have been very active and political officers surely would be integrated to very low levels thoughout the East German military. I can see the KGB perhaps under the guise of the East German government conducting a purge of all those involved in the talks, even just those rumoured to be involved.
No, I'm fairly confident only a relatively small group of officers with the power and authority to act would have been involved although I'm equally sure there'd have to be hundreds, if not thousands of the lower ranks at least sympathetic to the idea.