When former Chancellor of the Western Federal Republic of Germany, Helmut Kohl, received the General Secretary of the Socialist German Democratic Republic (DDR), Erich Honecker, at a State Visit in Bonn in September 1987 it was by far the biggest success in the 38 year history of the DDR and the greatest triumph for Honecker in his political career. Many saw this state visit as sign of recognition of the DDR by West Germany. But Honecker didn't savor his triumph for long. Only two years later, in the Summer of 1989, things had changed dramatically. First he, then his government, and finally the DDR faced total collapse which led to German Unity. What happened?
In the summer of 1989, while thousands of East Germans were on holiday in Hungary, many of them saw their chance to leave East Germany forever. They left everything behind to start a new and free life. So, when Hungary stopped guarding its border to Austria, many East Germans walked out of the clutches of the Iron Curtain and were warmly welcomed by the German Embassy staff in Austria as the world watched in amazement.
In Prague the German Embassy opened their doors to more than 4000 refugees. These refugees literally 'camped out' in tents on the grounds of the Embassy for up to three months. Late on a September evening the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, unexpectedly appeared on the embassy balcony and spoke to the excited people. He had the news they had been waiting for: Their exit to West Germany was approved by the DDR.
At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people in East Germany went to the streets in the big cities every Monday to demonstrate for reforms and openness. The Monday demonstrations in Leipzig became legendary for the peaceful yet powerful nature of the movement. After 500,000 people demonstrated peacefully on Alexanderplatz in Berlin on the 4th of October, the Politburo, the government of the DDR, gave in. This was the first successful democratic revolution in Germany, and made Germans proud.
Only five days later, on the 9th of November, the press secretary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) announced the freedom to travel for all people of the DDR in a confused international press conference to an auditorium of astonished listeners. This meant the end of the inhuman wall between East and West that had separated Germany for nearly 30 years. Thousands of Berliners, from the East and West, embraced and celebrated their biggest party ever that night.
As the people continued demonstrating in Leipzig and elsewhere with the motto "We are the people", and more often with "We are one people", Chancellor Kohl reacted. A Ten-Points-Plan in December marked the beginning of Kohls irresistible move toward German Unity. He and his government acted in the coming months on many levels. Kohl negotiated with Gorbachev on the conditions of German Unity in the Caucasian Schelesnowodsk in the summer of 1990. The TV picture of the two statesmen shaking hands beside a river went around the world and is the enduring symbol of the breakthrough to German Reunion.
The first free elections in East Germany earlier that year were won by the "Alliance for Germany", a Kohl-supported platform, and pushed the plans for German Unity still further. These elections, the support of her neighbours, and the support of the USA removed all obstacles to the formal entry of the GDR to the Federal Republic of Germany. The formal entry on the 3rd of October 1990 marked the day of the German Unity and is celebrated every year in a different Federal State of Germany.
For many Germans the memories of the summer of 1989 will always be a German wonder.
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