Diplomatic documents · 1989–1990
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.
Brandenburger Tor, 30 Jahre Mauerfall (2019): New York-air, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hungary opens its border to Austria for GDR citizens
Monday demonstration in Leipzig
Honecker is replaced by Egon Krenz as SED General Secretary
The Berlin Wall opens
Kohl presents his Ten-Point Plan
East German overtures towards Israel, including public statements in press interviews. Govrin believes that the GDR sees Israel and world Jewry as potential allies against plans for German reunification.
Yosef Govrin, Israel · Foreign MinistryReuven Merhav, Israel · Foreign Ministry
Jerusalem, 17 December 1989
Read documentThe Brandenburg Gate reopens
Ottawa: agreement on the Two-plus-Four talks
A report on Foreign Minister Arens' talks in Bonn with Chancellor Kohl and President von Weizsäcker. Arens told the latter that he sees the reunification of Germany as "a foregone conclusion". Kohl said that East Germany was rapidly collapsing, and assured Arens that "there is no Fourth Reich, and never will be."
Benjamin Navon, Israel · Embassy in BonnIsrael · Foreign Ministry
Bonn, 20 February 1990
Read documentFirst free elections to the GDR People’s Chamber
First Two-plus-Four ministerial meeting in Bonn
Monetary, economic and social union enters into force
Arkhyz, Caucasus: Kohl and Gorbachev agree on a united Germany in NATO
Unification Treaty signed
Two-plus-Four Treaty signed in Moscow
German reunification
German–Polish Border Treaty signed