Back to the video list: German History

 

In 1969 a coalition government, consisting of Social Democrats and Liberals, won the general election in Germany. The newly elected Chancellor Willy Brandt initiated a new policy towards the Eastern Bloc. Eventually, a dialogue with the socialistic GDR and other eastern states was established.

 

Video

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 1969 - 1973
  • Location: Germany
  • Start: Announcing & realising the “Neue Ostpolitik“ (New Eastern Policy)
  • End: Political, social & economic agreements made between Germany & several Eastern Bloc countries

 

Parties & Persons Involved

  • Federal Republic of Germany
  • German Democratic Republic
  • Soviet Union
  • Poland
  • Czechoslovakia
  • Willy Brandt (1913 – 1992)
  • Egon Bahr (1922 – )

 

Background

  • East-West conflict & Cold War
  • De facto two states on German soil:
    • Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)
    • German Democratic Republic (GDR)
  • Claim to sole representation since 1949 & Hallstein Doctrine since 1955
  • People see the coexistence of 2 German States more and more as a given reality
  • The objective of reunification is less present for the people
  • More & more third officially & unofficially recognise the GDR
  • Eastern bloc is economically underdeveloped & depends on western technology

 

History

  • Jul 1963: Willy Brandt & Egon Bahr present the fundamentals of the new eastern policy – “change through rapprochement”
  • 1967: The claim to sole representation & the Hallstein Doctrine are watered down by the Geburtsfehlertheorie (birth defect theorie)
  • 1969: The SPD-FDP coalition comes into power & implements the Neue Ostpolitik (new eastern policy)
    • “Change through rapprochement”/ convergence of the systems
    • 2 German states but 1 German nation
    • Abandoning the claim to sole representation
    • GDR should be an active partner in the policy of detente
    • Engagement for disarmament
    • Engagement in the CSCE
  • 19 Mar 1970: Summit of Erfurt between Willy Brandt & Willi Stoph
  • 12 Aug 1970: Treaty of Moscow – Recognition of the Oder-Neisse-line as Poland’s western border & inviolability of the inner German border
  • With the Treaty of Moscow the Brief zur Deutschen Einheit (letter on German unity) is handed over: The treaty “does not contradict the goal of the Federal Republic to seek peace in Europe in which the German people regain their unity in free self-determination.”
  • 07 Dec 1970: Treaty of Warsaw & Warsaw Genuflection – Recognition of the Oder-Neisse border
  • 03 Sep 1971: Four-Power Agreement with regards to Berlin – confirming the powers of the 4 former allies, securing free travel to Berlin & the FRG represents West Berlin internationally
  • 1971/72: Further treaties mostly concerning travelling to the GDR & the transit to West Berlin
  • 21 Dec 1972:Grundlagenvertrag (Basic Treaty), along with the letter on German unity:
    • Engagement in the CSCE
    • Inviolability of the inner German border
    • National jurisdiction only within the own borders
    • Respect for the independence of the other state
    • Exchange of permanent representatives
  • 18 Sep 1973: FRG & GDR become UN members
  • 11 Dec 1973: Treaties of Prague – Recognition of the existing borders

 

Consequences & Impact

  • Benefits for West Berlin & in the long-term for the people in East Germany
  • Establishment of an East-West dialogue
  • Independent German policy towards the eastern bloc
  • Strengthening of the (perceived) German division
  • Ambivalent evaluation with regards to the German reunification