Search | Wilson Center Digital Archive

Switch to Visualization

German reunification question (1949-1990) Clear All

Related Resources

The Palace of the Republic (Palast der Republik) in Berlin

Eastern Europe

East Germany

"The Bundeshaus (Federal Building) in Bonn, West Germany, May 1961. "

Western Europe

West Germany

Soviet soldier taking a photograph of another soldier in Red Square, Moscow, 1959

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

Aerial view of National Mall

North America

United States

Placeholder image for when a places image is not available

Western Europe

Germany

German Reunification

Mikhail Gorbachev, 1986

Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeevich

1931- 2022

Portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, 1972.

East Asia

China

Photograph of Helmut Kohl, 1982.

Kohl, Helmut

1930- 2017

Photograph of Gorbachev-Bush summit at Malta, 1989

End of the Cold War

Official portrait for President George H.W. Bush, 1989.

Bush, George H.W.

1924- 2018

Aerial photograph of CIA headquarters

United States. Central Intelligence Agency

-

East German Uprising

Austria and German Unification

Soviet Foreign Policy

George H.W. Bush and Lech Walesa

CIA Reports on the Collapse of Communism in Europe

Nikita Khrushchev at the UNGA, 1962.

Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich

1894- 1971

Andrei Gromyko at the UN, 1981

Gromyko, Andrei Andreevich

1909- 1989

Results:

21 - 30 of 102

Display:

Sort By:

Documents

January 26, 1990	Austrian Foreign Ministry, '[Excerpt] East German Report on Modrow’s visit to Vienna on 26 January 1990' The document relays a conversation between East German and Austrian officials about Austria's commitment to potential reunification. The document addresses the possibility in two parts. The first half focuses on leniency with travel and economic reforms including visa-less travel and potential car taxes. The second part focuses on the greater European Cold War balance and addresses topics such as disarmament and inter-bloc cooperation.
December 22, 1989	Johann Plattner, Austrian Foreign Ministry, 'Visit of [Mock] to Great Britain (19–21 December 1989); Meeting of Envoy Plattner with Department Head Synnott' The report relays a meeting between Austrian and British foreign ministry officers concerning potential German reunification. It elaborates that both countries are concerned about reunification pushed for by protest movements and happening outside European peace negotiations - potentially compromising USSR Security.
December 7, 1989	Johann Plattner, Austrian Foreign Ministry, 'Program of Chancellor Kohl on German unification; Reaction of the Western states' The document outlines other countries' reactions to the prospect of German Reunification. The fears of France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are cataloged. In addition, Western allies such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France are marked as being hopeful for the upcoming reunion of the two states.
November 24, 1989	Memorandum of Conversation Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky and East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow, East-Berlin The conversation details various changes needed in the GDR, including within the economy, electoral law, and foreign relations. They further discuss Austria's role in the two German states.
November 24, 1989	Information by the East German Office of National Security on the Austrian Assessment of the Situation in the GDR and the Development of Austrian–East German Relations, Berlin (East) The document recounts the discussion between party officials from Austria's People's Party and Socialist Party in regards to changing developments in East and West Germany. Based on historical, political, and economic precedent, the overwhelming sentiment is against reunification. However, due to the rapidness of political events in the GDR the Socialist Party had yet to decide how to react. The parties then outline a plan to establish connections from both East and West German leadership as well as resistance movements in Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia.
November 10, 1989	Johann Plattner, Austrian Foreign Ministry, 'Debate on German Reunification; Information and Language Regime' In light of Kohl & Gorbachev's joint statement (June 13, 1989), the Head of the Department for Western and Northern Europe of the Political Section of the Austrian Foreign Ministry discusses German reunification, the Berlin Question, and Detente. The report discusses the resistant attitudes of the West, with the exception of the US, towards German reunification.
September 19, 1989	Analysis by Envoy Thomas Nowotny, 'The Specter of German Reunification' The report discusses the conflicting views from countries such as the US and USSR surrounding German Reunification. It later explains predicted demographics, economics, and military prowess of a unified Germany.
September 8, 1989	Ambassadors’ Conference at the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Vienna Summary of discussion between Austrian Foreign Minister Erich Maximilian Schmid and ambassadors from Belgium, Finland, Yugoslavia, Luxembourg, and Sweden about the state of Eastern Europe, the decline of the arms race, and Western reactions to German Reunification.
November 21, 1989	Letter from NATO Deputy General Secretary Marcello Guidi to Minister Gianni De Michelis The letter addresses developments in the relationship between the two German states and the prospect of reunification. It describes the political climate in West Germany towards reunification as hesitant, if not reluctant, and voices concerns over the destabilizing potential of such efforts.
October 26, 1946	Answers to the Questions of Mr. H. Bailey, President of the American Agency 'United Press' In an interview, Stalin discusses the political developments in Europe and the Soviet Union and the threat of conflict with the West. Particular emphasis is paid to Germany and Eastern Europe.