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Reunification: 1989 - 1991 - Coggle Diagram
Reunification: 1989 - 1991
kohl's drive to reunification
continuation of ostpolitik eased relations with GDR and in 1987 GDR leader erich honecker visited the FRG, marking the first visit by and East german head of state to west germany
GDR was almost bankrupt by 1983 with economy propped up by west german loans, and the collapse of eastern communism left GDR isolated
berlin wall symbolically opened on 9 november to chants of 'we are one people'
kohl stepped in as 'chancellor of unity'
westerners speculated against otsmark, transport networks thrown into turmoil, migrating east germans flooded germany 2000 a day threatening the overstretched welfare system
10 point plan
november 1989 - 5 year programme of cautious steps to reunification presented to bundestag
immediate medical assistance and foreign currency for travel; ecological, railroad and postal cooperation; further aid to GDR providing they hold free elections and FM economy; common institutions to be set up; move toward federation; joint policies in interests of international cooperation; strengthening european integration; new institutions for security cooperation; disarmament; situation of peace in europe
bundestag gave plan overwhelming support and CDU/ CSU referred to it as 'historical contribution'
rush to unity
december 1989 - dresden people gave kohl massive welcome, making him rethink his timetable
brandenburg gate symbolically opened on 22 december, and crowds of over 1.5m people protested in leipzig dresden, chanting 'helmut kohl is our bet'
kohl focused on winning over international support for unification - french commitment to european integration and send economic aid to USSR
jan. 1990 - overwhleming success for alliance of CDU to east 'alliance for germany' party = vindication of kohl's plans - 48.1% of vote
currency union
treaty signed in may and took effect in july 1990
west german DM exchanged for otsmark at rate of 1:1 for salaries, wages and pensions, 2:1 for for debts, and 1:1 for savings up to a certain amount, and 3:1 for foreign accounts
the ER was set too high, making GDR's production uneconomic = west forced to prop up east german industry with subsidies, grants and retraining schemes
2 plus four
began at ottawa 'open skies' conference in feb. 1990 between east and west german and allied powers
western owers wanted germany to remain in NATO, but soviets wanted neutral united germany
London declaration issued in 1990 changing terms of germanys nato membership to make it more political than military alliance
miracle of moscow declaration 16th july: renounce former claims to eastern territories; financial assistance to USSR; scale back military installations; russia withdrew troops; full sovereignty to germany; member of nato retained
reunification treaty signed on 31 august 1990 and came into effect on 3 october
political impact
all-german election to give democratic legitimacy went through to secure unification process - dec. 1990 Kohls' cdu/ csu was victorious and formed an FDP coalition
large federal parties remained dominant, smaller parties reappeared - cdu/ csu, spd, fdp, bundnis 90, pds/ dkp, npd/ reps
economic impact
changes set in place to extend the FM economy to the east - the GDR became subject to all economic, social an labour laws of FRG, alongside a banking system controlled by the bundestag
industrial production fell by 2/3's and eastern GNP fell by 13.4% in 1990 and 20% in 1991
investment programme launched in march 1991 with govt. money put into housing, agriculture, services and industrial infrastructure
real income in east lander rose by c28% from 1989 to 1991, and 175,000 business founded
social impact
those compromised by communist political sympathies were removed from positions and the judiciary and education system were reformed along western democratic systems
21% of former east german workforce moved to a new job, 8% were unemployed, 10% had taken an early retirement
less need ror unskilled labour, impacted ormerly high levels of female employment