Published by Articulate® Engage™ www.articulate.com 1990 Timeline of Events Introduction Event Text Click on the circles below to travel through a 1990 timeline of events that led up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. 1990 January Event Text Despite agreements reached at the Round Table talks that there would be no financial assistance from political parties in the West, the large West German parties helped finance the election campaigns for their newly founded branches in the East. The East German parties that had spearheaded the opposition in the fall were impeded by their vision of a new East German society operating on the basis of unanimity. New Forum and other grassroots political parties were quickly out-financed and left behind in the race for political support. In the first free elections in the East, these parties received only 2.9 percent of the vote. February 1 Event Text Modrow presented an East German plan for the reunification of Germany, one that called for military neutrality. Published by Articulate® Engage™ www.articulate.com February 14 Event Text The "two plus four" talks on German reunification began between the foreign ministers of the two Germanys and those of the four major World War II Allies: the United States, the Soviet Union, France, and Great Britain. Modrow called for a currency union with the West, and the West pulled back its offer of immediate financial help for the East (in the range of fifteen billion DM). The idea of political reform in the East became less and less of an issue for the citizens, who were now calling for a rapid reunification into a larger, democratic Germany. March 14 Event Text The first formal meeting of the "two plus four" talks was held in Bonn. The idea of German reunification was met with opposition from some of the country's European neighbors, and the question of a unified Germany joining NATO was discussed, as well as the question of the unified country's military and civil rights. March 18 Event Text The first free, multi-party elections were held in the GDR. They resulted in a major victory for the Alliance for Germany, a group dominated by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), that had campaigned for a fast unification of the two states according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law (constitution). The three largest parties of the Federal Republic won a large majority--the CDU alliance (forty-eight percent), the SPD (twenty-two percent) and the Free Democrats (FDP). They took office in the GDR as a Grand Coalition dedicated to unification on West German terms. The rump SED socialist party, the PDS, won only sixteen percent. Lothar de Maiziere (CDU) was chosen by the Volkskammer to be prime minister one month later on April 12. April 24 Event Text Chancellor Kohl and Prime Minister Maiziere agreed on July 1, 1990, as the date for merging the economies o ...

1. Published by Articulate® Engage™ www.articulate.com
1990 Timeline of Events
Introduction
Event Text
Click on the circles below to travel through a 1990 timeline of
events that led up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and
the reunification of Germany.
1990
January
Event Text
Despite agreements reached at the Round Table talks that there
would be no financial assistance from political
parties in the West, the large West German parties helped
finance the election campaigns for their newly founded
branches in the East. The East German parties that had
spearheaded the opposition in the fall were impeded by
their vision of a new East German society operating on the basis
of unanimity. New Forum and other grassroots
political parties were quickly out-financed and left behind in the
race for political support. In the first free
elections in the East, these parties received only 2.9 percent of
the vote.

2. February 1
Event Text
Modrow presented an East German plan for the reunification of
Germany, one that called for military neutrality.
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February 14
Event Text
The "two plus four" talks on German reunification began
between the foreign ministers of the two Germanys and
those of the four major World War II Allies: the United States,
the Soviet Union, France, and Great Britain. Modrow
called for a currency union with the West, and the West pulled
back its offer of immediate financial help for the
East (in the range of fifteen billion DM). The idea of political
reform in the East became less and less of an issue
for the citizens, who were now calling for a rapid reunification
into a larger, democratic Germany.
March 14
Event Text
The first formal meeting of the "two plus four" talks was held in

3. Bonn. The idea of German reunification was met
with opposition from some of the country's European neighbors,
and the question of a unified Germany joining
NATO was discussed, as well as the question of the unified
country's military and civil rights.
March 18
Event Text
The first free, multi-party elections were held in the GDR. They
resulted in a major victory for the Alliance for
Germany, a group dominated by the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU), that had campaigned for a fast unification
of the two states according to Article 23 of the West German
Basic Law (constitution). The three largest parties
of the Federal Republic won a large majority--the CDU alliance
(forty-eight percent), the SPD (twenty-two
percent) and the Free Democrats (FDP). They took office in the
GDR as a Grand Coalition dedicated to unification
on West German terms. The rump SED socialist party, the PDS,
won only sixteen percent. Lothar de Maiziere (CDU)
was chosen by the Volkskammer to be prime minister one month
later on April 12.
April 24
Event Text
Chancellor Kohl and Prime Minister Maiziere agreed on July 1,
1990, as the date for merging the economies of the
two German states and began formal negotiations on the terms
of reunification.

4. May 6
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Event Text
Local elections in the GDR were dominated by the parties of the
Grand Coalition; the CDU won thirty-four percent
of the vote; the SPD twenty one percent; the PDS fifteen
percent.
May
Event Text
While conducting official talks, Chancellor Kohl and Prime
Minister de Maiziere agreed to "the creation of a
monetary, economic, and social union" between the two German
states.
June 21
Event Text
The two corresponding parliaments, the West German
Bundestag and the East German Volkskammer, approved
the treaty laying out terms for economic and monetary union of
the two Germanys.

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July 1
Event Text
The monetary union took effect, with the West German Mark
becoming the legal currency for both German states.
East Germans were allowed to exchange the old currency in
their bank accounts at a rate of 1:1 for the new Mark,
up to a limit, and then the rest at a 2:1 rate.
August 23
Event Text
After heated debate, the East German Volkskammer agreed on
October 3, 1990, as the date for the reunification of
Germany.
August 31
Event Text
The two Germanys signed the unification treaty. It was ratified
on September 20 by the Bundestag by a vote of
442 to 47 and by the East German Volkskammer by a vote of
229 to 101.
September 9

6. Event Text
Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited Berlin. Three
years before he had stood at the Brandenburg Gate and
cried, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
September 12
Event Text
The foreign ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany, the
GDR, France, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and the
United States signed a treaty laying out the "final settlement on
Germany." The four Allies' control over Germany,
maintained since the end of World War II, finally came to an
end, and Germany gained once again "full sovereignty
over its internal and external affairs." All of Germany's existing
borders were recognized.
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September 13
Event Text
West Germany signed a bilateral treaty with the Soviet Union
calling for friendly relations and cooperation. The
Soviets agreed to remove all troops from East Germany.

7. September 24
Event Text
East Germany formally withdrew from the Warsaw Pact.
October 1
Event Text
In New York, the four Allied powers signed a declaration
granting full sovereignty to the new united Germany.
October 3
Event Text
After forty-five years of a divided Germany, the GDR and the
FRG were unified into a single state. The formal event
took place in Berlin and was officially marked by an address by
the president of the Federal Republic, Richard von
Weizsäcker. This day was now the "Tag der Deutschen Einheit,"
or the day of German unification.
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1989 Timeline of Events
Introduction
Event Text

8. Click on the circles below to travel through a 1989 timeline of
events that led up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and
the reunification of Germany.
1989
January 15
Event Text
On the seventieth anniversary of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa
Luxemburg's murder, hundreds demonstrated in
Leibzig, East Germany for the right of free expression, free
assembly, and freedom of the press. Around eighty
demonstrators were arrested when police arrived and broke up
the demonstration.
February through April
Event Text
The East German Communist party and the oppositional
Solidarity party agreed to hold free elections in the East.
April
Event Text
The Chinese army massacred more than 5,000 student
demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. The East German
leaders supported the Chinese communist government's
decision. When faced with growing demonstrations in the
upcoming autumn, the prospect of a violent crackdown by
security forces became known as the "China solution."
Ironically, during this month the GDR abolished the "shoot to
kill" policy for the border patrols.

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May 2
Event Text
Hungary began to dismantle its border fortifications into
Austria. Soon after, citizens of the GDR fled through
Hungary, over the border, and into Austria and sought asylum in
the West.
June
Event Text
Solidarity, the oppositional party, won the parliamentary
elections in Poland.
August through September
Event Text
East Germans vacationing in Hungary began to flee to West
Germany through Austria in large numbers. Also, large
numbers of defectors took shelter in West German embassies in
Prague, Budapest, and Warsaw to pressure the
East into allowing them free passage to the West. However, due
to the chaotic conditions in the embassies, which
were overflowing with exiles, Hungary opened its borders on
September 11 to East Germans who wished to
emigrate, despite opposition from the GDR. In only three days,
more than 15,000 people flooded into West
Germany. On September 30, East Germans who sought refuge in

10. the embassies were granted permission from
the GDR for passage to the West. As the trains carrying the
exiles passed through East German railway stations,
others jumped on and escaped to West Germany. The opening of
the borders of many other East-bloc countries to
the West forced East Germany to restrict the travel of its
citizens in the East.
Also during September, the East German oppositional party
Neues Forum, or New Forum, was formed. It
requested approval for political unification with the West, as
well as establishment of official local chapters
throughout East Germany. Their requests were turned down.
However, encouraged by the Glasnost countries,
hundreds of members of church and civil rights groups began
demonstrating on Mondays in Leipzig. During these
Monday demonstrations (see later) the people called for a
government responsive to their needs, independent
parties, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom of
travel. On September 4, 11, and 18, East German
police used violence to break up the demonstrations and
arrested some of the leaders.
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October 7
Event Text
The fortieth anniversary of the founding of the GDR was
celebrated with large state celebrations, including a visit
by Gorbachev. East German leaders assured Soviet officials that

11. the situation in their country would be stable in
time for the anniversary celebrations. Gorbachev informed the
GDR leaders that the Soviet Union would not
interfere in East German affairs, but is said to have warned the
head of the East German state and party, Erich
Honecker, that "history punishes the latecomer." The
opposition, under the leadership of the New Forum,
organized mass demonstrations in all the major East German
cities. That evening, the police used violence to
brutally disperse the demonstrators and arrested 1,050 citizens.
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October 9
Event Text
Seventy thousand demonstrators pushed through the downtown
area of Leipzig in protest. Erich Honeker ordered
that the demonstration be crushed, if necessary, with weapons.
However, his security apparatus did not obey him.
Just nine days later he resigned from power.
October 18
Event Text
After eighteen years, Erich Honeker resigned from the position
of state and party leader and was succeeded by
Egon Krenz. Krenz made known his plans for a political Wende,
or reform, and shortly thereafter a number of

12. leading politicians and functionaries were removed from power
and replaced with new, reform-minded leaders.
However, Krenz did not intend to institute a democracy, but
rather pushed for reforms in East German socialism.
October 27
Event Text
The government gave amnesty to those trying to flee the country
and those arrested during the recent
demonstrations. Massive demonstrations, primarily in Dresden
and Leipzig, continued until the end of October,
however.
November 4
Event Text
Close to one million citizens demonstrated at Alexanderplatz in
East Berlin (10,000 in other cities) and were
addressed by both SED and opposition leaders as well as by
leading East German writers and intellectuals. Booing
the state party speakers, the demonstrators called for a new
democratic form of government in which the people
were truly the state. The call went out for a new form of
socialism. Also, the borders into other countries were
opened once again, and within two days more than 15,000
people left the GDR. Some regard this as the falling of
the Iron Curtain.
November 7

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Event Text
The government of the GDR resigned, and the next day a new
Politburo was formed. The opposition party New
Forum was made legal.
November 9
Event Text
In a poorly organized and orchestrated late-night press
conference, Krenz opened the Berlin Wall, announcing
that East Germans could now travel freely to the West.
Ironically, this move was a last-ditch effort to stop the
flow of East German exiles to the West (more than 50,000 had,
by this point, left the country), which was the
same reason the wall had been constructed in 1961. Hundreds of
thousands of GDR and FRG citizens crowded the
wall to rejoice. As many celebrated at the Brandenburg gate,
climbing up onto the wall, feelings of brotherhood
and jubilation abounded.
November 10 through November 11
Event Text
Crowds of East Germans (more than 200,000) crossed through
the wall to visit West Berlin. Chancellor Helmut
Kohl canceled a trip to Poland and addressed a large crowd at
the City Hall in West Berlin. Shops and banks stayed

14. open late to accommodate the large influx of visitors (German
businesses usually closed around 6:00 p.m.). The
West German government announced that each East German
visitor would receive fifty West German Marks to
spend during their initial visit. The exchange rate for the East
German Mark (maintained officially at 1-to-1 in the
GDR) went from 7-1 to 10-1 and even higher at banks in the
West.
November 12
Event Text
West Berlin Mayor Mompers and East Berlin Mayor Krack
opened the wall at the Potsdamer Platz.
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November 13
Event Text
Hans Modrow, an opponent of Honecker who had been pushed
to the margins of the SED party, was elected the
new president of the GDR. The East German Volkskammer
expelled Honecker and twenty-six other members.
Modrow instituted a program of democratization and social
renewal but refuted any claims that a reunification
would take place.

15. November 28
Event Text
West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl delivered his ten-point
program that, through new forms of cooperation,
would lead to the reunification of Germany. East German
intellectuals, including Egon Krenz, signed the petition
"For Our Country," which encouraged East Germans to work for
a new, democratic socialist state in the East as
an alternative to the Federal Republic.
December 7
Event Text
Following Krenz's resignation on the previous day, opposition
leaders began the "Round Table" talks with the SED
on the structure for a new society and the format for the new
elections in March.
December 17
Event Text
The SED changed its name from Socialist Unity party to the
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS; which was soon
widely referred to as "Praktisch das Selbe" [Practically the
Same Thing]). Also, from November to December,
massive demonstrations took place in Prague, resulting in the
old communist regime's resignation, and Marian
Calfa's opposition party gained the majority vote.

16. December 20 through 23
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Event Text
During a visit to East Germany, French President Mitterrand
declared that France would not oppose the
reunification of Germany. The Brandenburg Gate was opened to
pedestrians. In Romania, the Stalinist dictator
Ceausescu was forced from office after a bloody uprising of the
people.
December 31, New Year's Eve
Event Text
During New Year's celebrations in Berlin, throngs of East
German citizens invaded the Stasi (State Security
police) headquarters. They ransacked the building and much of
its secret files on East German citizens.
Lesson 9: German Reunification
Lesson Essay
When you can accomplish the learning objectives for this
lesson, you should begin work on the lesson essay described
below. You may use any assigned readings, your notes, and
other course-related materials to complete this assignment. Be
sure to reread the essay grading criteria on the Grades and

17. Assessments page.
This essay should be about 1,000 words long, typed double
space with one-inch margins on each side. It is worth 150 points
and should address the following:
What, in your opinion, were the major problems that emerged
from the fall of the wall for the newly united Germany? Could
some of these problems have been avoided? How? In answering
these questions, you need to reflect upon and refer to the
various events outlined in this lesson. Who were the players
during the "two plus four" negotiations and what were their
interests? What was the overall mood in Germany at the time
and how would the alternatives you suggest have affected that
mood?
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the
following:
· Discuss the overall reasons that led to the collapse of the
German Democratic Republic.
· Chronicle the events that led to the fall of the wall in 1989 and
German reunification in 1990.
· Elaborate on the remaining problems and challenges for
Germany since 1990.
Commentary
Lesson 8: New German Cinema
Lesson Essay
When you can accomplish the learning objectives for this
lesson, you should begin work on the lesson essay described
below. You may use any assigned readings, your notes, and
other course-related materials to complete this assignment. Be

18. sure to reread the essay grading criteria on the Grades and
Assessments page.
This essay should be about 750 words long, typed double space
with one-inch margins on each side. It is worth 100 points and
should address the following:
It is often said that the New German Cinema was a profoundly
"national" cinema. In your essay, you should try to support this
view a) with reference to the administrative and financial
structure of West Germany's film industry and b) with reference
to the thematic focus of Rainer-Werner Fassbinder'sThe
Marriage of Maria Braun.
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the
following:
· Define New German Cinema.
· Situate the movement within the broader socio-economic and
political history of West Germany.
· Name some of the movement's major directors and common
themes.
· Analyze Rainer-Werner Fassbinder's masterwork The Marriage
of Maria Braun (1979).
Commentary