VOLAJRUme JOURNAL 10 NO.2 february 2010 Reflections on German reunification ow that the flurry of media 1970s through the Ostpolitik of the activity provoked by the Brandt and Schmidt governments, Ntwentieth anniversary of have not been challenged by any the reunification of Germany in renaissance of German military might. November 1989 has subsided, one The reason for this lies partly in the can try to situate that event within a fact that the reunification of Germany wider European context. Of course, took place within the broader there are readers of the AJR Journal framework of the reunification of who, for very understandable reasons, Europe as a whole. When the Berlin can never be reconciled to Germany Wall came down, it brought the entire and the Germans and who regard Iron Curtain down with it, allowing Germany as the land of the eternal all the countries of the Warsaw Pact enemy. Others will regard any – Poland, the Czech Republic and enlargement of Germany with fear Fall of the Berlin Wall, November 1989 Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and and suspicion, in view of its record Bulgaria – to join the EU and NATO, of aggressive and ultimately criminal successfully, to the extent that few people along with the Baltic states, which regained expansionism during the period 1871-1945. can now imagine Dresden and Magdeburg their independence from the collapsed Nevertheless, the reunited Germany being cut off by barbed wire and watch- USSR. The potentially destabilising impact is now a settled factor at the heart of the towers from Munich and Hanover. Fewer of a more powerful Germany was thus reunited continent of Europe and, as such, still will regret the passing of the former counterbalanced by the entry of ten a major factor in the diplomatic, political, East Germany, a totalitarian surveillance Eastern European states (including the economic and cultural relationships of state that had to wall its citizens in to former Yugoslav republic of Slovenia) and the states of Europe and beyond. Nobody preserve itself from death by depopulation. some 100 million Eastern Europeans into looking at Europe today can shut their Though substantial differences in wealth the European comity of nations. Europe eyes to Germany. It is also only fair to and employment rates persist between the became too large for Germany to dominate; point out the enormous changes that the former East and West Germany – largely the EU supplied a degree of cohesion social and political culture of Germany has due to Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s politically continued overleaf undergone since the days of the Kaiser, inspired decision to allow the East German the Weimar Republic and Hitler. German mark to be converted into West German society is now as peaceful, anti-militaristic marks at the rate of one to one – by and Kindertransport Chairman and internationalist in its views as any in large the two former German states have Erich Reich Knighted Europe. merged smoothly into one. The British are fond of poking fun at It was in the sphere of external relations Germany as the land of military uniforms, that the reunification of Germany aroused jackboots and dreams of conquest. Yet it the greatest fears. Whereas West Germany, was not Germany that invaded Iraq, or sent some 60 million people strong, was broadly a task force several thousand miles down on a par with France, Britain and Italy in rich Reich, Chairman of the AJR’s the Atlantic to reconquer the Falkland terms of population and economic weight, EKindertransport special interest Islands. The office of the President of the reunited Germany, with a population group, has been knighted in the New Germany is very much a civilian post, quite of some 80 million, is a power potentially Year’s Honours List. unlike that of the Queen, his constitutional of a different order. Yet the reunification Sir Erich, 74, was born in Vienna and came to this country in August 1938. equivalent as British head of state, whose of Germany has not been accompanied Like many others, he never saw his public function is inextricably intertwined by German efforts to expand or extend parents again. with a multitude of military duties and its sphere of influence at the expense of In 1987 he set up Classic Tours, which ceremonies. Public opinion in Germany other European states, other than in the organises fundraising trips abroad for would hardly accept the grooming of acceptable forms of free competition by charitable purposes. He has since inspired Princes William and Harry for their future German companies in European markets over 40,000 people to raise around £60 million for charities in this way. roles by service in the armed forces as and Germany’s attempts to further its ‘I want to thank the people of Britain unquestioningly as is the case in Britain. national interests within the institutions of for allowing the Kinder to come to the Internally, the reunification of Ger- the European Union. Germany’s borders UK and for this amazing honour,’ Sir many has been accomplished largely with its Eastern neighbours, agreed in the Erich said. 1 AJR JOURNAL february 2010 reflections on german reunification continued from page 1 Fourteen-year struggle for justice succeeds at last lacking in the 1930s, when Germany had Germany’s past record, could have proved been able to pick off the small Eastern difficult to meet. The most obvious loser in ast year some 200 states one by one. 1989 was Russia, which emerged from the Lor so Kindertrans- portees in the UK The admission of the countries of ruins of the Soviet Union with territorial benefited from a Eastern Europe into the EU and NATO losses even greater than those it suffered considerable increase has guaranteed peace and stability in in 1918; shorn of the Baltic states, Ukraine in their hitherto weak the area of Europe formerly controlled and Belarus, Russia was in no position German pension. by the Soviet Union. The separation of to oppose the reunification of Germany, In the early 1990s, the German gov- Slovakia from the Czech Republic passed however sensitive it was to the historical ernment agreed to off without bloodshed. The various ethnic threat of invasion by Germany. The United grant members of Hermann Hirschberger tensions that in the 1930s had been States, by contrast, had little to fear from the Kindertransport resolved by force have not led to violence German reunification and much to gain resident in the UK a pension under the since 1989: the potential for conflict from the collapse of the Soviet Union, its German pension scheme. Payments between Hungarians and Romanians in Cold War rival, and the extension of NATO would be made to all not yet in employ- ment (too young or in further education) Transylvania, between Poles and Czechs across Eastern Europe. President Bush in 1939-48 and residing in the UK. These over Cieszyn (Teschen), Romanians and (senior) supported German reunification. payments began in 1995 but most Bulgarians in the Dobrudja, or Slovaks and Britain and France were in a more eligible recipients were bitterly disap- Hungarians in southern Slovakia, has been difficult position: neither was prepared pointed. Because they had started paid held in check. These states understand for the emergence of a united Germany employment and thus paid UK pension insurance contributions, the German full well that allowing militant nationalism and both felt threatened by it. As we know full pension allocation was reduced by to explode into discrimination against from documents released by the foreign one-ninth for each such year. minority ethnic groups or violence against ministries of both nations, President Hermann Hirschberger alone took neighbouring states would only deprive Mitterand and Prime Minister Thatcher it upon himself to fight to rectify the them of the benefits of EU membership. were united in their misgivings about situation. He wrote numerous letters The case of Yugoslavia, which did German reunification. The French played to MPs and arranged meetings with ministers. He worked with a solicitor and collapse into an orgy of violence, proves a clever hand, concealing those misgivings even succeeded in meeting the German the point. For Yugoslavia had never been and planning to accommodate the enlarged ambassador after months of pleading. part of the Soviet-controlled area of Europe, Germany into a greater and more integrated Ministers and German officials as well as since Tito, its leader, had broken with Stalin Europe by means of European economic the solicitor were sympathetic. However, in the 1940s. It was therefore less directly and monetary union (EMU), culminating they insisted there was nothing they could do. affected by the collapse of the Soviet Bloc. in the creation of a single European Hermann battled on resolutely until, Whereas all the other Eastern European currency. The French succeeded, in effect, after nearly 14 years, with the support countries underwent a change of regime in subsuming a united Germany within the of a new minister of pensions at White- when the Iron Curtain fell, Yugoslavia broader dynamic of European integration hall, a new amendment to the insurance did not; its Serbian-dominated leadership, and thereby neutralising the threat of act in the UK was passed. The German under Slobodan Milosevic, passed swiftly German preponderance. authorities were prepared to honour the new situation and Hermann had finally from Titoist Communism to radical Serb This was not possible for Margaret won his campaign. nationalism. Thatcher, whose deep-seated aversion to The 200 or so refugees alive today That transition then ignited the Germany (made public by the revelation of who were saved by the British govern- flames of nationalism in Yugoslavia’s her notoriously negative comments on the ment in 1938-39 owe a tremendous other constituent republics, leading to their German national character) was matched debt of gratitude to this country and to Hermann Hirschberger for having secession from Belgrade and to the Yugo- by her hostility to European integration fought so hard to ease their financial slav wars.