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German Reunification

In 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Socialist Unity Party (SED), East and West Germany reunited as the enlarged Federal Republic of Germany. See also the collections on the Berlin Wall, the End of the Cold War, and Austria and German Unification.(Image: Brandenburg Gate, Unification Ceremony, Fireworks. 3 October 1990. Bundesarchiv)

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November 10, 1989

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation: Conversation with Helmut Kohl, Chancellor – Federal Republic of Germany, November 10, 1989, 3:29-3:47PM

Telephone conversation between President George H. W. Bush and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on the situation in Germany.

November 9, 1989

Conversation between Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa

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.

November 10, 1989

Letter, General Secretary of the SED Egon Krenz to General Secretary of the CC CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev

General Secretary Krentz reports to Gorbachev that East Germany has allowed GDR citizens to cross the border to West Berlin following mass protests at the Berlin Wall and its checkpoints. Of the 60,000 citizens who took advantage of the open border, reportedly 45,000 returned to East Germany after visiting the west.

October 3, 1990

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation: Telephone Call to Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany, October 3, 1990, 9:56-9:59 a.m.

Telephone conversation between President George H. W. Bush and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on the situation in Germany.

March 21, 1990

Minutes of a Conversation of Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki with US President George Bush

Over two days of meetings, Bush and Mazowiecki discuss German reunification, the future of relations with the Soviet Union/Russia, and NATO.
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