DUESSELDORF, Germany. May 4 : Left in the cold by the collapse of Communisrp, former East German spymaster Markus Wolf went on trial Tuesday for treason, espionage and bribery, reports AP.

His defence Immediately moved to suspend the trial on the grounds his actions were legal in East Germany, but the five-judge panel rejected the motion.

Wolf, who headed the Communist East German spy apparatus from 1953 to 1986. made no comment as he entered the defendant's dock In an unc erground courtroom In this Rhine River city.

Wolfs highly placed operatives frustrated Western intelligence luring the Cold War. His intrigues provided the raw materiel for John Le Carre and others who wrote about the secret world of espionage.

The sum of his career is treason according to the prosecutors in united Germany. but Wolf argues he was following East German law and cannot be prosecuted for what was legtJ when and where he did it.

Defence lawyer Johann Schwemm moved at the opening session to suspend the trial until Germany's highest court has ruled in a similar case.