Collapse of the SED
Collapse from the top
rapid rotation of leaders in the Politburo destroyed the illusion of stability & permanence
Krenz promised reforms- a more relaxed Germany- this divided the SED and opened up questions about reunification
Revelation of corruption at the top
Every day people causing the collapse
Jan 1990- over 70,000 people left for the West
1989 concert- at the new Brandenburg gate, Beethoven's Ode to freedom was played which showed symbolic lack of desire for GDR's independence
Local level like opposition groups causing collapse
Protest at Stasi headquarters- files revealed extent of covert operations
Round Table group formed by Democracy Group and was representing of Bloc parties and included new opposition groups. Aimed to promote internal reform such as disbanding the Stasi
State causing collapse
December 1st- Volkskammer ended the SED's leading role. Krenz resigned as he realised it was impossible to get support for an SED government
Last action of SED- promotion of Hans Modrow, now in charge of PDS. Announced new elections and removed central style planning
1990 elections
Alliance for Germany- 48%, 192/400 seats
SPD- 22%
PDS- 16%- older people who wanted to remain
Alliance 90- 3%
Attitudes of Kohl, Britain, USA & USSR
Kohl was central to the reunification process
28th November- Kohl's 10 point plan- aid and redevelopment & a federal system for all of Germany
Thatcher had doubts over unity and a powerful Germany and joined with Mitterand to try slow down reunification
Bush undermined them by asserting that unification should happen
In Feb 1990, Kohl was supporting the East German CDU on reunification and campaigned with the GDR and addressed a million person crowd in Leipzig with a message of hope
To ease the USSR's doubts, Kohl promised to fund the removal of Soviet troops in the GDR and pay DM 12 billion cash to resettle troops in USSR
Accession of eastern territories to West germany
Formal accession of eastern territories to FRG happened on the 3rd of October
The five old states (lander) became one lander of the FRG- the GDR was absorbed into the FRG
This process was relatively easy compared to achieving social & economic integration- GDR had a different set of values for 40 years that they wouldn't brush away immediately