Why was the reunification of the GDR and the FRG so rapid?

Question 1

What did the opening of the Berlin Wall not necessarily mean?

Answer 1

Didn’t necessarily mean the end of the GDR as a country

Question 2

How many East German’s visited the West in November 1989?

Answer 2

More than 5 million people did

Question 3

How many of these people decided to stay in the West?

Answer 3

Around one million decided to stay with the vast majority staying in East Germany still

Question 4

What did Krenz’s government try and do to stem the emigration from the GDR?

Answer 4

Introduced free all-party elections, free media from government control, liberalization of controls on the economy

Question 5

Why was there starting to be a divide in the party?

Answer 5

Some wanted a reformed GDR to continue to exist separate from the FRG and some argued the German states should be reunited

Question 6

What did Krenz do after the GDR constitution was amended to end the SED’s leading role?

Answer 6

He resigned after just 44 days in power

Question 7

What carried on increasing?

Answer 7

The number of GDR citizens emigrating as 70,000 left for WG in January 1990

Question 8

What this increased emigration do to the economy?

Answer 8

Loss of potential productivity for the economy. The country couldn’t sustain itself as more young workers headed west.

Question 9

Support for what was growing?

Answer 9

German Reunification

Question 10

What was moved forward in time to try and implement a quick solution?

Answer 10

The May 1990 elections were pushed forward to March 1990 to try and find a quick solution

Question 11

What were the results of the March 1990 elections?

Answer 11

Alliance for Germany=48%
SPD=22%
PDS=16%
Alliance 90’= <3%

Question 12

What was happening with Eastern and Western goods?

Answer 12

Western consumer goods flooded the East while their own products now with gov subsidies removed remained unsold.

Question 13

What happened in August 1990?

Answer 13

250,000 farmers demonstrated against the ending of government subsidies

Question 14

What happened on the 31st August 1990?

Answer 14

The Unification Treaty was signed between the governments of East and West Germany.

Question 15

What happened in September 1990?

Answer 15

The Two-Plus-Four Treaty was signed where all the wartime allies (France, Britain, USA+ USSR) agreed for the reunification of the two Germany’s.

Question 16

When did formal reunification take place?

Answer 16

On the 3rd October (Now a public holiday)

Question 17

Who did a speech in 1987 about the wall?

Answer 17

Reagan did his ‘tear down this wall’ speech

Question 18

Who was Kohl and what was he seen as?

Answer 18

He was the Chancellor and he had been seen as the ‘architect of unification’