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Digital Archive International History Declassified

November 09, 1989

CONVERSATION BETWEEN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL AND SOLIDARITY LEADER LECH WALESA

This document was made possible with support from the Leon Levy Foundation

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    In this extraordinary conversation, Solidarity’s leader fears the collapse of the Wall would distract West Germany’s attention - and money - to the GDR, at the time when Poland, the trail-blazer to the post-communist era in Eastern Europe, desperately needed both. "Events are moving too fast," Walesa said, and only hours later, the Wall fell, and Kohl had to cut his Poland visit short to scramble back to Berlin, thus proving Walesa’s fear correct.
    "Conversation between Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa," November 09, 1989, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive, "Dokumente zur Deutschland Politik; Deutsche Einheit: Sonderedition aus den Akten des Bundeskanzleramtes 1989/90," Hans Jürgen Kusters and Daniel Hofmann, eds. (Munich: Oldenbourg Verlag, 1998), document number 76, pp. 492-496. Published in National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 22. Translated by Catherine Nielsen. https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/116236

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Document summary

In this extraordinary conversation, Solidarity’s leader fears the collapse of the Wall would distract West Germany’s attention - and money - to the GDR, at the time when Poland, the trail-blazer to the post-communist era in Eastern Europe, desperately needed both. "Events are moving too fast," Walesa said, and only hours later, the Wall fell, and Kohl had to cut his Poland visit short to scramble back to Berlin, thus proving Walesa’s fear correct.

Creators

Kohl, Helmut, 1930-2017

Walesa, Lech, 1943-

Subjects Discussed

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Document information

Source

  • "Dokumente zur Deutschland Politik; Deutsche Einheit: Sonderedition aus den Akten des Bundeskanzleramtes 1989/90," Hans Jürgen Kusters and Daniel Hofmann, eds. (Munich: Oldenbourg Verlag, 1998), document number 76, pp. 492-496. Published in National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 22. Translated by Catherine Nielsen.

Original Archive

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  • Minutes of Conversation

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  • CWIHP - The Cold War International History Project welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the Cold War International History Project at coldwar@wilsoncenter.org.

Record ID

  • 116236

Donors

  • Leon Levy Foundation