(September 22, 1964)
Berlin

To Comrade Walter Ulbricht, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic,
To Comrade Willi Stoph, First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic,
To Professor Dr. Johannes Dieckmann, Chairman of the People's Chamber of the German Democratic Republic,
To Professor Dr. Erich Correns, Chairman of the National Council of the National Front of Democratic Germany:

We are shocked to learn of the unfortunate passing of Comrade Otto Grotewohl, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, Vice-Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic, staunch fighter for the unity of the German working class, outstanding political activist of the German Democratic Republic, and friend of the Chinese people. We express our deep condolences to you with heavy hearts and request that you convey our sincere sympathies to the family of Comrade Grotewohl.

Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Liu Shaoqi, Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Zhu De, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China
Zhou Enlai, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

September 22, 1964