The specific situation of the unification of East and West Germany

The unification of Germany (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) refers to the unification of Germany by merging the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) at 1990 10.3. 1990 After the first democratic election in the history of East Germany was held in March 18, reunification negotiations between East and West Germany began immediately. Finally, Germany and the four countries that occupied Germany after World War II (the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union) reached a treaty to finally solve the German problem, so that the unified Germany became a completely independent country, and all the privileges of the four occupying countries were abolished. After reunification, Germany stayed in Europe (later the European Union) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

process

ancestors

Since 1945, Germany has been divided, and the policy implemented by the German Democratic Republic strictly controls the flow of people between the two countries. 1On March 28th, 989, the GDR began to implement new border management regulations, relaxing the control on citizens leaving the country, which directly triggered a certain scale of flight tide. In less than a year, about10,000 East German citizens immigrated to Western Europe through various channels, forming the third wave of East German residents fleeing. 1September 1989, East Germany further relaxed its border management, and West German citizens could even spend the night in East Germany. On the contrary, looser border management has further aroused a wave of protests from East German citizens. Large-scale rallies and demonstrations broke out in cities such as Leipzig, demanding that the East German authorities carry forward democracy, implement reforms, improve goods and services, open overseas travel and relax restrictions on the news media.

pour oil on the fire

1In late September 1989, the political situation in Czechoslovakia, which belongs to the Eastern European camp, changed. Since the beginning of democratic reform, East Germany has stopped visa-free transportation with Czechoslovakia. At the same time, in order to quell domestic protests, the East German government re-tightened the once-liberalized border control at the beginning of 10, and once again banned West German citizens from entering East Germany. Instead of quelling the wave of protests, this move added fuel to the fire.

protest march

1989 10.07 is the 40th anniversary of the National Day of East Germany. Including Leipzig, Dresden, Potsdam, magdeburg, Jena and other major cities in East Germany. Near the National Day celebration site in the capital Berlin, more than 7,000 citizens gathered to protest, clashed with the police and hundreds of people were arrested. Since then, large-scale protests have escalated, and the content of protests has quietly changed. From the initial struggle for freedom of travel and relaxation of press control, it has gradually changed to demand the legalization of opposition organizations, multi-party system and free elections. This nationwide large-scale protest has never appeared in the history of East Germany. Almost at the same time, the political situation in Hungary and Poland changed dramatically, and the two governments announced that they would no longer repatriate East German citizens who fled to China.

Great changes have taken place in the political situation

198910 June 18, erich honecker, leader of the East German Unified Social Party, announced his resignation for health reasons, and the Central Committee of the Unified Social Party elected egon krenz to succeed honecker. After krenz took office, he immediately announced the implementation of "thorough reform", announced the pardon of all those who fled and participated in demonstrations, and formally contacted the West German government. However, honecker's resignation and new policy did not quell public protests, and demonstrations continued throughout East Germany.

With the new leader coming to power, illegal opposition organizations in East Germany began to be allowed to conduct public activities. With the coordination of these opposition organizations, protests have escalated all over the country. 165438+1On October 4th, a parade involving 500,000 people broke out in Berlin, and on June 6th, 500,000 citizens took to the streets in Leipzig. Under strong pressure, the GDR government announced its collective resignation on June 7th165438+1October 8th, and the Political Bureau of the United Socialist Party of Germany resigned collectively. On the same day, a new Political Bureau headed by krenz was elected. On the 9th, East Germany announced that its citizens can apply for passports without declaring special reasons, and East German residents can move freely. Soon, East German residents began to cross the Berlin Wall for West Germany. Since then, the once frightening Berlin Wall has existed in name only, and residents of both Germany can move freely.

165438+1October 13 Gunther Maleuda, Chairman of the German Democratic Peasants' Party of the East German Democratic Party, was elected Chairman of the People's House. /kloc-in 0/7, a coalition government was established in East Germany. Among the 26 cabinet members of the Coalition government, the United Socialist Party only accounts for 15. After the new government came to power, it put forward the idea of establishing diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of Germany. 65438+February 1 day, the East German Parliament passed a constitutional amendment, deleting the clause that the family in China is led by the working class and its Marxist-Leninist party; On the 3rd, the German Politburo headed by krenz, who succeeded General Secretary, resigned again, and the special meeting of the Central Committee of the United Socialist Party decided to expel the central leaders including honecker from the Party. On the 7th, East German political parties, including the United Socialist Party, democratic parties and opposition parties, held a round table meeting in Berlin. The meeting decided to establish a new constitution of the GDR, dissolve the secret police force, hold a general election on May 6, 1990, arrest the leaders of the German United Socialist Party, including honecker, and investigate their criminal acts when they were in power.

On February 8, 65438, the German United Socialist Party held a special meeting, elected a new leader of the party, and announced that it would be renamed the Democratic Socialist Party, implement a multi-party system in Germany, and build democratic socialism. 65438+February 1 1, the GDR government announced the dissolution of the working-class fighting army responsible for defending the Berlin Wall. During Christmas on February 25th, 65438, thousands of residents from West Germany flocked to East Germany to travel. On the 28th, an East German company began to sell the fragments of the Berlin Wall.

1March 990 18, East Germany's general election, East Germany's CDU became the largest party, East Germany's Social Democratic Party became the second largest party, and the Democratic Socialist Party became the third largest party. On April 12, the East German CDU and the East German Social Democratic Party announced a joint cabinet, and the Democratic Socialist Party became the opposition party for the first time.

18 in may, the new government of east Germany signed a national treaty with the federal Republic of Germany, stipulating that the two countries should establish a monetary, economic and social union. 1 in July, the treaty came into effect, the East German mark withdrew from circulation, and the West German mark became the currency of both Germany. On July 6th, Germany began to negotiate the second national treaty, which stipulated the principles, methods and time of German reunification and the political system after reunification. Finally, the second national treaty was signed in August 3 1, 1990, which stipulated that East Germany would restore the five states before the administrative division adjustment of 1952. These five states collectively joined the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with Article 23 of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Basic Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), and the five states that joined the Federal Republic of Germany implemented a multi-party parliamentary democracy with separation of powers.

affect

The reunification of Germany and Germany once brought a heavy burden to the German economy, and the growth continued to slow down several years after reunification. According to an article published by the University of Berlin, the unified economic cost of Germany is about10.5 trillion euros, which is more than the national debt. At that time, the economic situation in eastern Germany was weak, and the exchange rate of two German currencies was unrealistic, which led to a sharp decline in industrial competitiveness in eastern Germany, many factories closed down and huge economic losses. Today, eastern Germany still needs to rely on the special subsidy of 1000 billion euros per year to rebuild its economy, and the commodity subsidies provided by the west also make the resources of West Germany scarce, which eventually leads to the privatization of many loss-making industries initially supported by the East German government.

After the reunification of Germany and Germany, most parts of the former East Germany were "deindustrialized", resulting in an unemployment rate close to 20%. The high unemployment rate has caused thousands of East Germans to move to the west to look for jobs, which has led to the continuous decline of the local population, especially the loss of professionals. Switching to the euro as a currency is also considered to be the root of most problems in Germany. The Bundesbank has always stressed that the cause of economic problems is not the euro, and only Germany can solve it. It has been pointed out that this means that the central bank implies that unification is the reason.