By the mid-80s the Soviets went for a more lenient approach with their puppets and allowed them more autonomy. That’s why Hungary opened its border to Austria back in the summer of 1989 - and thousands of East Germans used that opportunity.

But the East German government itself was a bunch of hardliners, some of which having been around since the country was founded. They even openly discussed a "Chinese solution" and if the worst was to happen, would have detained more than 50,000 so-called "deviants" into internment camps. Hell, when the first free labor union of the Eastern Block was founded in Poland, East Germany begged the Soviets to solve this issue like they had in Prague (by rolling tanks over protesters) - and would have been willing to participate if necessary.