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German Reunification
Bundestag elections 18.Sept 2005
Party % of votes No of seats
CDU/CSU 35.2 226
SPD 34.3 222
FDP 9.8 61
Left Party 8.7 54
Greens 8.1 51
Kanzlerin Merkel?
Economic problems today 2001 – 2004 GDP increase of 0.6 %/year
(eurozone’s combined average of 1.3%) 5 Mill unemployed = 10% of the work
force (eurozone average is 8.7%) East Germany: 20%.
Exports grown by 57 % since 1999. Eastern Germany remains a major
problem for the country
Division of Germany after WW2
Founding of two German States Proclamation of the Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG- BRD): 23. May 1949
Chancellor: Konrad Adenauer Proclamation of the Democratic
Republic of Germany (GDR – DDR): 7. October 1949
Head of State of the GDR: Walter Ulbricht
Alliances FRG: Member of
Western European Union 1955: Nato Recognition of
Oder-Neisse Border
Alliances GDR 1955: Member of
Warsaw Pact
Both countries become members of the UN in 1973
GDR: Policy of demarcation 1949-1989 1952: closing of the borders 1961: building of the Berlin Wall 1967: separate citizenship
Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz – Law of State Citizenship
1970: proclamation of the ‘socialist nation’
1974: removal of the word German from the constitution
State Security Apparatus (Staatsicherheit – Stasi) Ministerium für Staatssicherheit –
Ministry for State Security
Role of the Stasi
Factors leading to Reunification International factors: Decline of Eastern block states:
Gorbachev’s reforms of Glasnost (openess) and perestroika (restructuring)
Economic success of the Federal Republic
Factors leading to Reunification National factors:1. Dissatisfaction with socialism2. The economic situation in the
GDR3. The majority of West-Germans
wanted to be reunited with the East Germans.
On the road to reunification Effect of glasnost and perestroika:
non-communist governments in Hungary, Polen and Czechoslovakia.
Opening of borders to the West 1000s of GDR citizens flee to FRG
embassies in Hungary
National factors• Monday
demonstrations: discontent of the people Wir sind das Volk – we
are the people Wir sind ein Volk – we
are one people 4. November 1989:
Demonstrations: http://web.uvic.ca/geru/261/003.jpg
GDR economy 1970 - 1989 1971: economic problems Honecker’s solutions: Cheap housing, higher basic wages,
better pensions, better maternity provisions, better health care in order to have a better work force.
Problem: how to finance this?
Economic problems Export deficit of 390 million DM Import deficits of 100 million DM:
solution: 1972: nationalisation of 11500 private
firms (Volkseigene Betriebe - VEB) Increase of economic production, but
factories old. No investment in industry 1983: production half that of BRD
Debt State subsidies: rent, food, health
= 1980’s: quarter of state budget 1981: debt of 24.2 thousand
million DM Raising foreign currency: selling of
antiquities, art and people
Fall of the Berlin WallFall der Berliner Mauer
9th November 1989: Fall of the Wall 18th March 1990: first free
democratic elections in the GDR 1st July 1990: Treaty for the creation
of a Union of the Currency, Economy and Society
3rd October 1990: Date of reunification – Tag der deutschen Einheit
Fall of the Berlin Wall Maueröffnung
1989: http://web.uvic.ca/geru/261/004.jpg
http://web.uvic.ca/geru/261/005.jpg
Basic LawGrundgesetz der BRD
New Preamble im Grundgesetz: ‘Die Deutschen haben in freier
Selbstbestimmung die Einheit und Freiheit Deutschlands vollendet.’
‘In free self-determination, the Germans have brought to completion the unity and freedom of Germany.’
Germany today
Problems of unification For ex-GDR citizens: Economic: transition from a
planned economy to a free market economy
High unemployment Rise of xenophobia
Opportunities Large market in the East Zonenrandgebiete (areas near the
former border) Improvement of the
infrastructure:transport, telecomunications, culture
15 years on Still high unemployment (5 million
– 10% in the West, ~20 % in the East)
‘Ostalgie’ e.g Good Bye Lenin
15 years on… Die Mauer in den
Köpfen? Wall in the heads
of the people?
Germany and the EU