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Diplomatic documents · 1989–1990

Chronicle

A selection of telegrams, memos, minutes and letters from embassies and foreign ministries in eleven countries, set against the events from autumn 1989 to German unity.

Documents per weekEvent
Sep 1989OctNovDecJan 1990FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovHungary opens its border to Austria for GDR citizensMonday demonstration in LeipzigHonecker is replaced by Egon Krenz as SED General SecretaryThe Berlin Wall opensKohl presents his Ten-Point PlanThe Brandenburg Gate reopensOttawa: agreement on the Two-plus-Four talksFirst free elections to the GDR People’s ChamberFirst Two-plus-Four ministerial meeting in BonnMonetary, economic and social union enters into forceArkhyz, Caucasus: Kohl and Gorbachev agree on a united Germany in NATOUnification Treaty signedTwo-plus-Four Treaty signed in MoscowGerman reunificationGerman–Polish Border Treaty signed

Brandenburger Tor, 30 Jahre Mauerfall (2019): New York-air, CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Hungary opens its border to Austria for GDR citizens

  2. Monday demonstration in Leipzig

  3. Honecker is replaced by Egon Krenz as SED General Secretary

  4. November 1989

  5. The Berlin Wall opens

  6. Kohl presents his Ten-Point Plan

  7. PolandTelegramdodis.ch/53171

    Telegram from the Polish Ambassador in Cologne, Ryszard Karski, to the Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bolesław Kulski

    The ten-point plan for German reunification is assessed and the lack of any information about the inviolability of the Polish-German border is criticised.

    Ryszard Karski, Poland · Embassy in CologneBolesław Kulski, Poland · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Immediately CologneThe Polish Embassy in the FRG Federal Republic of Germany was situated in Cologne., 29 November 1989, 6.20 p.m.

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  8. December 1989

  9. Federal Republic of GermanyTelegramExtract Confidential and very urgentdodis.ch/52953

    Telegram from the Ambassador of the FRG in Paris, Franz Pfeffer, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the FRG

    Information über die verschiedenen Reaktionen in Frankreich auf den Fall der Berliner Mauer und die jüngsten Entwicklungen in der DDR. Dabei wird die Notwendigkeit einer guten Öffentlichkeitsarbeit der deutschen Botschaft betont.

    Helmut Elfenkämper, Franz Pfeffer, Germany · FRG Federal Republic of Germany · Embassy in ParisGermany · FRG Federal Republic of Germany · Federal Foreign Office

    Paris, 18 Dezember 1989, 3.54 p.m.

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  10. The Brandenburg Gate reopens

  11. February 1990

  13. Ottawa: agreement on the Two-plus-Four talks

  14. March 1990

  15. Soviet UnionDeclarationdodis.ch/53316

    Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union, Eduard Shevardnadze

    Unequivocally accepting the right of the German people to proceed with the unification of their country, the main conditions to be observed in this process by the USSR and its Western partners are summarized and then discussed in detail.

    Eduard Shevardnadze, USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics · Ministry of Foreign Affairs–

    Prague, 17 March 1990

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  16. First free elections to the GDR People’s Chamber

  17. April 1990

  18. SwitzerlandMemododis.ch/49550

    Interne Notiz des Eidgenösssichen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten

    Der Botschafter der DDR in der Schweiz, E. Bikow, sucht das eidgenössische Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten auf, um eine Erklärung der Volkskammer zu übergeben und über die bilateralen Beziehungen, insbesondere über Visafragen, zu sprechen. Darin: Gemeinsame Erklärung aller Fraktionen der Volkskammer vom 12.4.1990

    Daniel Woker, EDA · Politische Direktion · Politische Abteilung I–

    Bern, 18. April 1990

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  19. May 1990

  20. First Two-plus-Four ministerial meeting in Bonn

  22. PolandMemododis.ch/53173

    Memo by the Polish Military Mission in West Berlin

    Observations on the impact of German reunification on Polish-German relations. The need to develop pan-European cooperation based on the CSCE process with the participation of Canada and the United States.

    Poland · Military mission in West Berlin–

    West Berlin, 28 May 1990

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  23. July 1990

  24. Monetary, economic and social union enters into force

  25. Arkhyz, Caucasus: Kohl and Gorbachev agree on a united Germany in NATO

  26. AustriaMemododis.ch/52930

    Memo by the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Die Information fasst die Fortschritte auf dem Weg zur deutschen Einheit nach den Durchbrüchen von Mitte Juli 1990 zusammen und beleuchtet die Auswirkungen auf die Integrationspolitik Österreichs.

    Marius Calligaris, Austria · Ministry of Foreign AffairsThomas Klestil, Alois Mock, Austria · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Vienna, 18 July 1990

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  27. Unification Treaty signed

  28. Two-plus-Four Treaty signed in Moscow

  29. German reunification

  30. German–Polish Border Treaty signed