▁his ▁professional ▁practical ▁training ▁and ▁then ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁phys ician ▁in ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁medical ▁practices , ▁special ising ▁in ▁various ▁" in - pat ient " ▁procedures . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Medical ▁Director ▁at ▁the ▁Regional ▁Re h abil itation ▁Centre ▁in ▁A uer bach , ▁a ▁small ▁industrial ▁in ▁the ▁far ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁between ▁Z wick au ▁and ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Czech oslov ak ia . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁he ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁CD U ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁founder , ▁in ▁A uer bach , ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁branch ▁of ▁New ▁Forum . ▁▁ ▁New ▁Forum ▁was ▁a ▁political ▁party ▁like ▁no ▁other . ▁ ▁It ▁emer ged ▁from ▁various ▁under ground ▁opposition ▁groups . ▁▁ ▁It ▁was ▁declared ▁illegal ▁by ▁the ▁authorities ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁wind s ▁of ▁ ▁Glas nost ▁blow ing ▁across ▁from ▁- ▁of ▁all ▁places ▁- ▁Moscow , ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁government ▁was ▁under going ▁a ▁crisis ▁of ▁confidence . ▁▁ ▁In ▁shared ▁export ▁mark ets ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁East ▁Germany ▁were ▁increasing ly ▁coming ▁across ▁one ▁another ▁as ▁commercial ▁riv als , ▁while ▁on ▁a ▁personal ▁level ▁there ▁were ▁rum ours ▁that ▁the ▁personal ▁chem istry ▁between ▁com r ades ▁G orb ache v ▁and ▁H one cker ▁was ▁terrible : ▁ ▁it ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁possible ▁to ▁rely ▁on ▁com rad ely ▁Wars aw ▁p act