, ▁the ▁West ▁Berlin ▁House ▁of ▁Deput ies ▁elected ▁Die p gen , ▁who ▁ran ▁uno pp osed , ▁as ▁the ▁city ' s ▁new ▁Mayor . ▁He ▁replaced ▁Richard ▁von ▁We iz s ä cker , ▁who ▁res igned ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁President ▁of ▁West ▁Germany . ▁Under ▁Die p gen ' s ▁leadership , ▁the ▁CD U ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁state ▁elections . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁Die p gen ▁visited ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁for ▁meet ings ▁with ▁President ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan , ▁Vice ▁President ▁George ▁H . ▁Bush , ▁and ▁National ▁Security ▁Ad visor ▁Frank ▁Carl ucci . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁Die p gen ▁was ▁invited ▁by ▁East ▁German ▁leader ▁Er ich ▁H one cker ▁to ▁come ▁to ▁East ▁Berlin ▁to ▁join ▁celebr ations ▁mark ing ▁the ▁ 7 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁Berlin ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century . ▁Appar ently ▁bow ing ▁to ▁Soviet ▁pressure , ▁East ▁Germany ▁later ▁can ce led ▁its ▁inv itation . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Die p gen ▁called ▁a ▁state ▁election ▁on ▁relatively ▁short ▁notice , ▁hoping ▁to ▁capital ize ▁on ▁his ▁personal ▁popular ity ▁and ▁to ▁pre - empt ▁an ▁assault ▁on ▁the ▁Christian ▁Democr ats ▁over ▁local ▁problems ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁housing ▁short age ▁and ▁un pop ular ▁national ▁policies , ▁including ▁proposed ▁changes