Willy Brandt became the first Chancellor of West Germany to visit East Germany (DDR), arriving in the city of Erfurt, 32 miles from the border of the two nations, to meet with Willi Stoph, the Ministerpräsidenten (Chairman of the East German Council of Ministers, equivalent to Prime Minister) "East Germans Greet Brandt Warmly", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 20, 1970, p2 .