1989, Reunification and the Berlin Republic HI290- History of Germany

Reasons for the Collapse of the GDR Domestic Factors Economic problems Growing dissatisfaction with regime Pressure for reform International Factors Reform within the Soviet Union Liberalisation elsewhere in Eastern Bloc Pressure from West Germany

The International Situation Reform in the USSR: 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev become General Secretary of the Russian Communist Party. Perestroika (‘restructuring’): relaxed production quotas and introduced some free enterprise. Glasnost (‘openness’): greater freedom of the press & transparency in government agencies. 1988: Withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan & 50% reduction of military presence in Eastern Europe. July 1989: End to the ‘Brezhnev Doctrine’. Reform in Poland: 1980: Solidarity formed in Lenin shipyard in Gdansk. 1988: Nation-wide strikes force regime into negotiations with the opposition. March 1989: Sweeping constitutional reforms agreed. June 1989: Communists rejected in first free election since Reform in Hungary: 1980s: Reformers within the Communist Party introduce limited economic liberalisation. 1988: Elderly Janos Kadar removed from office & reformers seize the upper hand in the Politburo. January 1989: Extensive political reforms agreed, including opening borders with the West. May 1989: opening of border with Austria provided an escape route for thousands of East Germans. Gorbachev and Honecker during Gorbachev’s visit to the GDR in The smiles and handshake belie the tension between the two.

The Collapse of the GDR May 1989: Hungary opens its border with Austria – hundreds of Germans on holiday in Hungary take the opportunity to flee to the West. Mass exodus of East Germans begins, with frustrated escapees taking refuge in West German embassies in Prague and Warsaw. Opposition groups begin to organise – new East German Social Democratic Party founded in July, calls for an end to the single party state in August, New Forum formed in September, Democratic Beginning in October. October 1989: Gorbachev visits East Berlin – scuffles between police and protesters. 9 October 1989: 70,000 protesters demonstrate in Leipzig. 19 October: Honecker removed for ‘health reasons’ and replaced by Egon Krenz.

The Fall of the Wall

Steps towards Reunification An upsurge of German nationalism and calls for reunification after the fall of the wall – the protesters’ slogan changes from ‘We are the people’ to ‘We are one people’. Reform in the GDR: Egon Krenz too closely associated with the old regime and resigned after only 44 days. Replaced by Hans Modrow as Prime Minister. In Dec the Volkskammer voteed to alter the constitution, ending the SED’s monopoly on power. The Politburo and Central Committee resigned, censorship ended and local party officials removed. In Feb. the SED renamed itself the Party of Democratic Socialism. March 1990: Elections in the GDR – the CDU dominated Alliance for Germany won the most seats & formed a Grand Coalition with the Social Democrats & Liberals. Economic and political collapse meant that a separate East German state was no longer viable. July 1990: Currency reform saw the Deutschmark being adopted in the East. The end of the Cold War and American support for Kohl made reunification possible for the first time since ‘Two plus Four’ talks: USA, USSR, Britain & France renouncing their rights over Germany at midnight on 1-2 October At midnight on 2-3 October the black-red-gold flag raised in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin and the GDR was formally abolished. PartyAcronymSeats Alliance For GermanyCDU, DA, DSU192 Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD88 Party of Democratic SocialismPDS66 Association of Free DemocratsDFP, FDP, LDP21 Alliance 90B9012 East German Green Party and Independent Women’s Alliance Grüne, UVF8 National Democratic Party of Germany NDPD2 Democratic Women’s League of Germany DFD1 United LeftVL1 Results of March 1990 elections in the GDR

December 1990 Bundestag Elections Party Party List votes Vote percentage (change) Total Seats (change) Seat percentage Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 17,055, %+2.3% % Christian Social Union (CSU)3,302,9807.1%-2.7% % Free Democratic Party (FDP)5,123, %+1.9% % Social Democratic Party (SPD)15,545, %-3.5% % Alliance '90/The Greens (East)559,2071.2%+1.2%8+81.2% The Greens (West)1,788,2003.8%-4.5% % Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) 1,129,5782.4%+2.4% % All Others1,952,0924.2% 0 0.0% Totals46,455, % % Key: CDU – Black SPD – Red FDP – Yellow PDS – Purple Greens – Green

The Berlin Republic : Helmut Kohl (CDU/CSU-FDP) : Helmut Kohl (CDU/CSU-FDP) : Gerhard Schröder (Red- Green Coalition, SPD-Green Party)) : Gerhard Schröder (Red-Green Coalition, SPD-Green) : Angela Merkel (Grand Coalition, CDU/CSU-SPD) : Angela Merkel (CDU/CSU- FDP) 2013-Present: Angela Merkel (Grand Coalition, CDU/CSU-SPD) SPD and CDU election posters, August 2005

‘Ossies’ and ‘Wessies’ Source: Pew Research Centre Global Attitudes and Trends: d-of-communism-cheered-but-now-with- more-reservations/

Ostalgie Stall selling East German memorabilia in Berlin The old East German Ampelmännchen ("little traffic light men”) were saved in the 1990s.

Changing Notions of Identity and Citizenship German fans at the 2014 World Cup final.

Germany and Europe