Berlin Wall Fall Plans

Question 1

Kohl

Answer 1

• 10 point programme — unification in 10 years vs. took 10 months
• Satallite party of CDU formed in GDR for March 1990 elections — a vote for CDU was a vote for germany — coalition called ‘Allaince for Germany’ — 192 out of 400 seats won
• Maiziere took office nd within two weeks East germans were able to convert their marks into West German marks at an exhange rate of 1:1, reality 1:4
• Economic crash as a result so 2+4 negotations began

Question 2

Economic circummstances

Answer 2

• Productivity declined by 50% due to workers leaving
• GDR borrowed DM1.95 billion from FRG
• Spent 1 billion on largest macochip
• 1st July 1990 economic union between FRG and GDR

Question 3

GDR crumbeling/migration crisis

Answer 3

• 9th August 1989 = Hungary no longer check passports so GDR citizens will no longer be sent back for trying to cross the border
• By Nov. 1989 9,000 GDR citizens were leaving every day
• Following Honecker’s travel law, 1.5% did not return —- many left after visit
• Krenz replaces Honecker in October 1989
• protest on Alexanderplatz on 4th November —- between 500,000 and 1 million people
• Shabowski’s confused interview = “immediately” — wall falls night of 9th Nov
• Jan 1990 alone, 60,000 GDR citizens left

Question 4

Foreign Powers

Answer 4

• Gorbi’s Glasnot and Perestroika = Red Army of 1.5 million stayed in barracks during ‘89 revolution vs. China in Tiananmen massacre
• Feb. 1990 = Gorbi told Kohl that the german people could decide if they wanted unity = elections
• May 1990 = Gorbi told US that he would accept a reunified Germany as a member of NATO
• two plus four negotiations concluded september 1990
• October 3rd 1990 midnight = Germany officially reunified