5 - Fall of the Wall Flashcards
Refugee crisis
6.2 million left from 1987-88 to visit revaltives = 99% came back (then attempted to flee?)
9th August - Hungarian officials said that they would not check passports of the GDR citizens crossing the border into the West, namely Austria = they could not send GDR citizens back to East Germany.
By October 7th 40,000 East Germans left to Austria via Hungary
4,000 East Germans camped in the embassay in Prague in September 1989 trying to get passes to go to the West
By November 1989 9,000 East Germans left the GDR every day
The role of Gorbachev
Glasnost (openness) + Perestroika (restructuring)
Didn’t delpoy the Red Army to stop the revolution in 1989 = 1.5 million Soviet Troops remained in theor barracks = fulfilling promise to not use military action against communist states vs. Tiananmen Square massacre - June 1989
Economic failure of the GDR
The GDR borrowed DM1.95 billion
Failed to invest in new technologies = the GDR was some five to eight years behind the leading producers of USA and Japan. To produce one 64kb chip cost 40 marks, while in the West it cost 4.50 marks = failure in the microelectronics industry
Demonstations and the revolution in 1989
Mass protests in Leipzig = Monday protests - originated from St. Nicholas Church[prayer for peace]
By October 1989, 320,000 people took part in the weekly protests
4th November - protests at Alexanderplatz = between 500,000 people and 1 million protesters
Leaders of the GDR
Honecker
Dealing with the refugee crisis = Honecker let through ‘enemies of the state’ + old people as pensions were expensive
He allowed 14,000 people camped in the West german embassay in Prague to leave - the trian passed through the GDR = 10,000 people treid to stop the train and clamber on board - the people through their passports out of the window so they could be used again
Travel law introduced =
Leaders of the GDR
Krenz
Introduced travel law
Replaced Honecker after he was sacked in October 1989
The opening of the border/fall of the Wall and reunification
Shabowski’s confused interview = “immediately”
Wall fell on November 9th 1989 [midnight]
Germany reunified quickly: role of Kohl, and the economy = midnight on the 2nd of October, Germany was officiallly reunified
Kohl and beginning reunification
Reasoned accomodation - ‘all Germans’ —- at the early stages unity was not a prospect
Ten Point Plan aimed to unify Germany within 10 years
Kohl formed a satallite party of the CDU in the GDR = coalition called ‘Alliance for Germany’ = a vote for CDU was a vote for unity —- massive victory - 192 seats out of 400
GDR’s CDU leader Lothar de Maiziere formed a coalition government with the SPD and League of Free Democrats
Reasons for unification
The crumbling GDR
11th December = 300,000 protesters in Leipzig carried the German flag and called for unity.
Life expectancy for GDR citizens versus FRG citizens was 2.5 times lower for men and 7 times lower for women
Respiratory illnesses caused by pollution were twice that of the European average
In January 1990 alone, 60,000 GDR citizens left the country
Productivity in the GDR declined by 50% - workers leaving
Economic crash caused the 4 powers to accept Kohl’s 10 point plan
Reasons for unification
The Four Powers
Worried about the future united Germany’s power = every time they have been unified, therre has been a war
Britain, France, USA, and USSR all cautious = gradual unity
President of the European Commission stated that the GDR could become a member of the EU as a second German state, to avoid unity
11 December 1989 = 4 powers meet, without West Germany, reminder of diktat [a decision but not telling parties involved] at Treaty of Versailles
- USA would not agree to a united Germany unless it was a member of NATO
- Gorbi couldn’t afford loan to bail out GDR so in February 1990 he informed Kohl that it was up to the German people to decide about unification - USSR would not get involved
Crumbling GDR state - reasons for unity
Government
Hans Modrow replaced Krenz on 3rd December 1989
15th January 1990 = Stasi headquaters stormed
Modrow announced elections for 18th March 1990
Kohl and finalising unification
Within two weeks of Maiziere taking office, East Germans were able to convert DDM4,000 in West Germany Marks [DM] at an exchange rate of 1:1 — real value was 1:4
Caused economic ruin in the East
Date of unification brought forwards to save the GDR [to the annoyance of teh 4 powers]
2 + 4
Two plus Four negotiations
Began in March 1990
Article 23 of the FRG’s constitution states that reunifcation could take place if the GDR accepted unification under the terms and laws of the FRG and the GDR requestedd unification [Adenauer’s role]
Economic unity occured in July 1990 so the USSR could no long erstall negoatiations
May 1990 Gorbi told the USA that he would accept a reunified Germany as a member of NATO = weak now
12th Sept 1990 = 4 powers and representatives of the GDR and FRG signed the ‘Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany.’
