▁the ▁r uling ▁Social ist ▁Unity ▁Party ▁(" S oz ial istische ▁Ein heits par tei ▁Deutsch lands " ▁/ ▁S ED ), ▁but ▁Ber tr am ▁Wie cz ore k ▁joined ▁the ▁Christian ▁Democratic ▁Union ▁( CD U ). ▁▁ ▁The ▁East ▁German ▁CD U ▁by ▁this ▁point ▁had ▁little ▁in ▁common ▁with ▁its ▁West ▁German ▁counter part . ▁▁ ▁The ▁CD U ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ten ▁b loc ▁parties ▁and ▁mass ▁movements ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁S ED ▁through ▁a ▁structure ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁Front . ▁▁ ▁A part ▁from ▁the ▁S ED ▁no ▁political ▁party ▁ever ▁scored ▁significantly ▁in ▁any ▁general ▁election ▁between ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁but ▁they ▁never theless ▁received ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁legisl ature ▁( Vol k sk ammer ), ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁pred et erm ined ▁fixed ▁qu ota . ▁▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁highly ▁central ised ▁Len in ist ▁political ▁structure ▁that ▁the ▁country ▁had ▁copied ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁this ▁was ▁seen ▁by ▁the ▁authorities ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁system ▁more ▁broad ly ▁based . ▁▁ ▁Within ▁the ▁CD U , ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁sources ▁identify ▁Wie cz ore k ▁as ▁a ▁" local ▁party ▁official " ▁(" CD U - Or ts fun ktion är "). ▁ ▁Wie cz ore k ▁emer ged ▁with ▁his ▁degree ▁in ▁medicine ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁▁ ▁He ▁completed