Chronicle

Memorandum by the United States’ Deputy National Security Advisor, Robert M. Gates

During the telephone call with President Bush, Chancellor Kohl reported on his trip to Poland and the situation in East Germany after the Berlin Wall was first breached the previous day.

Robert M. Gates, USA United States of America · White House→–

Washington, D.C., 10 November 1989

Information Memorandum for the United States Secretary of State, James A. Baker

Preliminary assessment of the implications of the dramatic events in East Berlin for US policy in Europe.

USA United States of America · State Department→James Baker, USA United States of America · State Department

Washington, D.C., 10 November 1989

Telegram from the British Commandant in Berlin, Robert Corbett, to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Douglas Hurd

Description of a “historic night” of free travel between East and West Berlin.

Robert Corbett, British Military Government in Germany→Douglas R. Hurd, GB · Foreign Office

West Berlin, 10 November 1989, 9.15 a.m.

Circular by the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Am Tag nach der zufälligen Öffnung der Berliner Mauer sah sich das österreichische Außenministerium gezwungen, seinen Diplomaten grundlegende Informationen über die Haltung Österreichs zu der Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands zur Verfügung zu stellen.

Johann Plattner, Austria · Ministry of Foreign Affairs→Thomas Klestil, Alois Mock, Austria · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Vienna, 10 November 1989

Telegram from the Polish Ambassador in East Berlin, Janusz Obodowski, to the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krzysztof Skubiszewski

Report on the fall of the Berlin Wall and mass crossings by East German citizens into West Berlin.

Janusz Obodowski, Poland · Embassy in Berlin→Krysztof Skubiszweski, Poland · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

East Berlin, 10 November 1989, 1.00 a.m.

Telegram from the Turkish Ambassador in East Berlin, Metin Mekik, to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

News obtained from local and Western press on 10th and 11th of November regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Metin Mekik, Turkey · Embassy in East Berlin→Turkey · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

East Berlin, 11 November 1989, 1.00 p.m.

Telegram from the Turkish Ambassador in Bonn, Reşat Arim, to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Summary of the press statement made by Chancellor Kohl following his visit to Berlin, concerning the developments in GDR.

Reşat Arım, Turkey · Embassy in Bonn→Turkey · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Bonn, 11 November 1989, 10.00 a.m.

Interne Notiz des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten

Aufgrund der Bekanntgabe der neuen Reiseregelungen für DDR-Bürger wird mit DDR-Vertreter Tschierlich unter anderem über die künftige Visapraxis der Schweiz gegenüber der DDR diskutiert.

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

Bern, 13. November 1989

Telegram from the British Ambassador in East Berlin, Nigel Broomfield, to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Douglas Hurd

Reflections on political life in the GDR in the immediate aftermath of the opening of the Berlin Wall.

Nigel Broomfield, GB · Embassy in Berlin→Douglas R. Hurd, GB · Foreign Office

East Berlin, 13 November 1989, 9.10 a.m.

Telegram from the Dutch Ambassador in Bonn, Jan van der Tas, to the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hans van den Broek

Report on the events that unfolded on and after 9.11.1989. Van der Tas is critical of the "false note", the claim for reunification, brought into the festivities by FRG Chancellor Kohl.

Jan van der Tas, Netherlands · Embassy in Bonn→Hans van den Broek, Netherlands · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Bonn, 14 November 1989

Minutes of conversation by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

During the conversation between Foreign Minister Skubiszewski and Chancellor Kohl the latter’s decision to interrupt his visit to Poland and the impact of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Polish-West German relations were discussed.

Poland · Ministry of Foreign Affairs→–

Minutes of the 34th Meeting of the Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street on 15 November 1989 at 9.30 a.m.

The events in the GDR were discussed.

Great Britain · Government→–

Telegram from the Canadian Ambassador in Bonn, Thomas W. Delworth, to the Canadian Department of External Affairs

Observations on the mood in East Berlin in the immediate aftermath of the opening of the Berlin Wall.

Thomas W. Delworth, Canada · Embassy in Berlin→Canada · Global Affairs

Bonn, 15 November 1989

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 Paris→Germany · FRG Federal Republic of Germany · Federal Foreign Office

Paris, 18 Dezember 1989, 3.54 p.m.

Telegram from the British Ambassador in Bonn, Sir Christopher Mallaby, to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Douglas Hurd

Concern at the perception of the UK attitude towards German unity is expressed.

Christopher Mallaby, Great Britain · Embassy in Bonn→Douglas R. Hurd, GB · Foreign Office

Bonn, 5 January 1990, 4.41 p.m.

Memorandum of conversation by the Austrian Foreign Ministry

Im Zuge des Gegenbesuchs des ostdeutschen Ministerpräsidenten H. Modrow in Österreich traf sich der ostdeutsche Außenminister O. Fischer mit seinem österreichischen Amtskollegen A. Mock und sagte ihm, "dass es zur Vereinigung kommen werde".

Hans Peter Manz, Austria · Ministry of Foreign Affairs→Austria · Embassy in Berlin, Austria · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Österreich · Botschaft in Bonn, Österreich · Delegation in West Berlin

Vienna, 30 January 1990

Memo for the Foreign Minister of the FRG, Hans-Dietrich Genscher

M. Gorbatschow und E. Schewardnadse halten die deutsche Einigung für unvermeidlich. Deshalb konzentrieren sie sich darauf, die Entwicklung durch den KSZE-Prozess zu steuern und die deutsche Einigung als Katalysator zu nutzen, um die Entwicklung in Europa in ihrem Interesse zu beeinflussen.

Helmut-Wolfgang Brett, Klaus Neubert, Dietmar Stüdemann, Germany · FRG Federal Republic of Germany · Federal Foreign Office→Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Germany · FRG Federal Republic of Germany · Federal Foreign Office

Bonn, 31 January 1990

Circular telegram by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krzysztof Skubiszewski

The heads of Polish diplomatic missions abroad are given the following instruction: Polish support for German reunification is made contingent upon Germany recognizing Poland’s western border along the Oder and Lusatian Neisse Rivers.

Krysztof Skubiszweski, Poland · Ministry of Foreign Affairs→–

Warsaw, 1 February 1990

Telegram from the Dutch Ambassador in Bonn, Jan van der Tas, to the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hans van den Broek

Report on the visit of Defence Minister Relus ter Beek to the Defence Minister of the FRG Gerhard Stoltenberg, and the possible implications of German reunification for the banking situation in Germany, NATO cooperation, and the CSCE discussions with the Soviets.

Jan van der Tas, Netherlands · Embassy in Bonn→Hans van den Broek, Netherlands · Ministry of Defence

Bonn, 8 February 1990

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

Memo by the Ambassador of the Soviet Union in East Berlin, Vyacheslav Kochemasov

The main priorities of the USSR relating to the unification of Germany are discussed in detail with particular reference to the impermissibility of its membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.

Vyacheslav Ivanovich Kochemasov, USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics · Embassy in Berlin→–

East Berlin, 29 March 1990

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

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

Telegram from the Turkish Ambassador in East Berlin, Metin Mekik, to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Report regarding the joint meeting held by the Mayors of East and West Berlin.

Metin Mekik, Turkey · Embassy in East Berlin→Turkey · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

East Berlin, 13 June 1990, 12.00

Political report of the Turkish Consul General in Berlin, Akın Emregül, to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Summary of the decisions taken at the meeting between the Senate of West Berlin and the Government of East Berlin, who gathered in the City Hall of East Berlin for the first time in 42 years.

Akin Emregül, Turkey · Consulate General in Berlin→Turkey · Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Berlin, June 1990

Politischer Bericht des schweizerischen Botschafters in Ost-Berlin, Franz Birrer

Einschätzungen zur Auflösung der DDR und deren Anschluss an die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, wobei insbesondere die Beschleunigung des Wiedervereinigungsprozesses seit den Ereignissen an der Berliner Mauer und deren negativen Konsequenzen für die DDR betont werden.

Franz Birrer, Swiss Embassy in East Berlin→Federal Department for Foreign Affairs

Berlin/DDR, 2. Oktober 1990