The international issue of German reunification
The European Community and German reunification
François Mitterrand, Of Germany and France
TextIn 1996, François Mitterrand, President of France from 1981 to 1995, recalls the attitudes of the various European countries towards German reunification on the eve of the Strasbourg European Council of 8 and 9 December 1989.
‘The Strasbourg European Council: success and equivocations’ from L’Europe en formation
TextOn the day after the meeting of the European Council in Strasbourg of 8 and 9 December 1989, the federalist magazine L’Europe en formation expresses its satisfaction at the progress achieved by the Heads of State or Government of the Twelve, with particular regard to monetary cooperation and to their attitude to the political events in Central and Eastern Europe.
‘The Germans influence the future of the EEC’ from Cadernos de Economia (March 1990)
TextIn March 1990, the Portuguese economic affairs magazine Cadernos de Economia analyses the development of the European Community in the light of German reunification.
‘The Dublin meeting’ from L’Europe en formation
TextOn the eve of the Dublin European Council, held on 28 April 1990, the federalist journal L’Europe en formation questions the ability of the Twelve to react to the political upheaval in Eastern Europe and to the challenge of German reunification.
Familienfoto von der Sondertagung des Europäischen Rates in Dublin (Dublin, 28. April 1990)
BildAm 28. April 1990 beschließen die Staats- und Regierungschefs der Zwölf auf der Sondertagung des Europäischen Rates in Dublin die Eingliederung des wiedervereinigten Deutschlands in die Europäische Gemeinschaft.
Podium of the Dublin Special European Council (Dublin, 28 April 1990)
BildOn 28 April 1990, at the Special European Council held in Dublin, the Heads of State and Government of the Twelve take the decision to integrate a reunified Germany in the European Community.
Report by the European Parliament on German reunification (May 1990)
TextIn May 1990, the European Parliament's Directorate-General for Research draws up a working document which considers the impact of German reunification on the revenue and expenditure of the Community budget.
European Parliament resolution on the conclusions of the Dublin European Council (17 May 1990)
TextOn 17 May 1990, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it welcomes the European Council’s support for the process of German reunification.
‘An opportunity for Europe or a hindrance?' from Le Monde diplomatique (May 1990)
TextIn May 1990, the French monthly magazine Le Monde diplomatique forecasts the repercussions of economic and monetary unification of the two Germanies on European integration, in particular on its political union.
"Die beiden Einheiten" in Le Figaro (3. Oktober 1990)
TextAm 3. Oktober 1990 untersucht die französische Tageszeitung Le Figaro die möglichen Auswirkungen der deutschen Wiedervereinigung auf die Funktionsweise der Europäischen Gemeinschaften.
The fears of some European countries
François Mitterrand, Of Germany and France
TextIn 1996, François Mitterrand, President of France from 1981 to 1995, recalls the negative attitude of Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister, towards German reunification.
Helmut Kohl, Ich wollte Deutschlands Einheit
TextHelmut Kohl, Bundeskanzler von 1982 bis 1998, erinnert sich an die Vorbehalte der europäischen Partner gegenüber der deutschen Wiedervereinigung.
Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Erinnerungen
TextHans-Dietrich Genscher, Außenminister der Bundesrepublik, unternimmt eine Tournee durch die Hauptstädte Europas um die europäischen Partner von der Notwendigkeit der deutschen Wiedervereinigung zu überzeugen und um ihre Ängste vor einem vereinten Deutschland zu beseitigen.
German reunification (Zheleznovodsk, 15 July 1990)
BildOn 15 July 1990, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, West German Foreign Minister, Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the Soviet Union, and Helmut Kohl, German Chancellor, meet in Zheleznovodsk, in the Caucasus, to consider together the process of German reunification.
‘Germany in Europe — increased responsibilities' from Europe (3 October 1990)
TextOn 3 October 1990, Emanuele Gazzo, Chief Editor of Agence Europe, comments on the reunification of Germany and analyses the role of a unified Germany in the European Community.
'Joy leaves heartache in London and Paris' from The Guardian (4 October 1990)
TextOn 4 October 1990, the British left-wing newspaper The Guardian describes the fears of the British and French authorities at the prospect of German reunification.
Cartoon by Hanel on the international problem of German reunification (1990)
Bild‘It’s reunification …’ In 1990, the German cartoonist, Walter Hanel, illustrates the fears and mistrust of the Western countries regarding the fresh clout of the reunified Germany on the international stage.
Cartoon by Hanel on German reunification (1990)
Bild‘Meeting.' In 1990, the German cartoonist, Walter Hanel, portrays the discrepancy between the rapidity of German reunification and the slow process of European integration.
Interview with Jean-Jacques Kasel: doubts over the repercussions of the fall of the Berlin Wall (Sanem, 4 September 2007)
VideoIn this interview, Jean-Jacques Kasel, Director of Political and Cultural Affairs at the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1986 to 1992, discusses the reservations and doubts expressed by several Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Communities regarding the question of German reunification following the fall of the Berlin Wall during the night of 9 to 10 November 1989.
The fears of some European countries
Interview mit Jacques Santer: das Zögern der Europäer gegenüber der deutschen Wiedervereinigung (Sanem, 3. Mai 2006)
VideoIn diesem Interview erinnert Jacques Santer, ehemaliger luxemburgischer Premierminister, an die Befürchtungen des italienischen Ministerpräsidenten Giulio Andreotti und des französischen Staatspräsidenten François Mitterrand Anfang der neunziger Jahre hinsichtlich der deutschen Wiedervereinigung.
Interview with Jean François-Poncet (Paris, 3 July 2008) — Excerpt: François Mitterrand and the fall of the Berlin Wall
VideoIn this interview, Jean François-Poncet, former French Foreign Minister and current Senator for Lot-et-Garonne, recalls the attitude of the French President, François Mitterrand, in November 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down and the following year when Germany was reunified.
Interview with Élisabeth Guigou (Paris, 29 September 2008) — Excerpt: France and the fall of the Berlin Wall
VideoIn this interview, Élisabeth Guigou, Secretary-General of the Interministerial Committee for Questions on European Economic Cooperation (SGCI) from 1985 to 1990 and Policy Officer to French President François Mitterrand from 1988 to 1990, discusses François Mitterrand’s attitude to the upheavals that culminated in the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the reunification of Germany in 1990.
The FRG and the international issue of reunification
Rede von Helmut Kohl über die deutsche Frage und die europäische Verantwortung (17. Januar 1990)
TextAm 17. Januar 1990 hält der deutsche Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl in Paris einen Vortrag über die Lösung der deutschen Frage in einem europäischen Rahmen.
Rede von Helmut Kohl über ein geeintes Deutschland in einem geeinten Europa (New York, 5. Juni 1990)
TextAm 5. Juni 1990 hält der deutsche Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl vor dem American Council on Germany in New York eine Rede über die Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands unter dem Aspekt der Eingliederung der Bundesrepublik in die internationale Staatengemeinschaft.
Regierungserklärung von Helmut Kohl (Berlin, 4. Oktober 1990)
TextAm 4. Oktober 1990, in seiner ersten Regierungserklärung vor dem gesamtdeutschen Bundestag, kommt Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl auf die internationale Dimension der deutschen Wiedervereinigung zu sprechen.