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German Reunification

German Reunification. Bundestag elections 18.Sept 2005. 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%.

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German Reunification

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  1. German Reunification

  2. Bundestag elections 18.Sept 2005

  3. Kanzlerin Merkel?

  4. 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

  5. Division of Germany after WW2

  6. 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

  7. FRG: Member of Western European Union 1955: Nato Recognition of Oder-Neisse Border Alliances

  8. GDR 1955: Member of Warsaw Pact Both countries become members of the UN in 1973 Alliances

  9. 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

  10. State Security Apparatus (Staatsicherheit – Stasi) • Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security • Role of the Stasi

  11. 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

  12. Factors leading to Reunification • National factors: • Dissatisfaction with socialism 2. The economic situation in the GDR 3. The majority of West-Germans wanted to be reunited with the East Germans.

  13. 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

  14. 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 National factors

  15. 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?

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. Maueröffnung 1989: http://web.uvic.ca/geru/261/004.jpg http://web.uvic.ca/geru/261/005.jpg Fall of the Berlin Wall

  20. 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.’

  21. Germany today

  22. Problems of unification • For ex-GDR citizens: • Economic: transition from a planned economy to a free market economy • High unemployment • Rise of xenophobia

  23. Opportunities • Large market in the East • Zonenrandgebiete (areas near the former border) • Improvement of the infrastructure:transport, telecomunications, culture

  24. 15 years on • Still high unemployment (5 million – 10% in the West, ~20 % in the East) • ‘Ostalgie’ e.g Good Bye Lenin

  25. Die Mauer in den Köpfen? Wall in the heads of the people? 15 years on…

  26. Germany and the EU

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