When the Wall Came Down. The Perception of German Reunification in International Diplomatic Documents, 1989-1990.

M.L.J. Dierikx (Editor), Sacha Zala (Editor)

Research output: Book/ReportBookScientific

189 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

On 9 November 1989 the unexpected happened. After months of crisis, with tens of thousands of citizens fleeing the country through various means and routes, the government of the German Democratic Republic suddenly announced that it opened up the border crossings for travel to West Berlin forthwith.
Even diplomats, proficiently well-informed, had not seen this coming. Reactions by foreign envoys expressed concerns, warning of a ‘specter of German reunification’ that might upset the stability in Europe. Promoted by the West German government in Bonn, reunification became the keyword for all subsequent developments. Suddenly, agreements signed in 1945 took on a new immediacy.
Yet four decades after the end of the war, the right of the German people to self-determination was beyond dispute. The rapid pace of developments presented challenges to foreign and German diplomats alike. This volume collects perspectives on German developments from eleven countries (Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States).
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationBern
PublisherDocuments Diplomatique Suisse - Dodis
Number of pages244
Volume12
ISBN (Electronic)9783906051604, 9783906051628
ISBN (Print)9783906051611
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 06 Jun 2019

Publication series

NameQuaderni di Dodis
PublisherDucuments Diplomatique Suisse - Dodis
Volume12
ISSN (Print)2235-509X

Keywords

  • iNTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
  • Diplomacy
  • history

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'When the Wall Came Down. The Perception of German Reunification in International Diplomatic Documents, 1989-1990.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this