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The Emigration Movement by Signing the CSCE Final Act in 1975, The The first part of this presentation will refer The emigration movement to socio-political contexts and non-state actor By signing the CSCE Final Act in 1975, the groups from the period before 1989, while the GDR had committed itself to respecting human second part will focus on the dynamics from rights and fundamental freedoms. This also 1989/90 up to the day the GDR acceded to the included freedom of travel and emigration. jurisdiction of the FRG’s (Federal Republic of From 1977 onwards, GDR citizens were able to Germany’s) Grundgesetz (Constitution) on 3 apply for an emigration permit. Between 1961 October 1990. Starting in 1990, these dynamics and 1988, more than 380,000 people officially were largely co-determined by external actor left the GDR, about 222,000 people left the groups. GDR by routes of escape, prisoner trade or not THEREWOMEN ISAS returning to the GDR from an approved visit ACTORS NO JUSTICE Actor groups in the 1980s to the West. The waves of emigration had THEREIN THE IS WITHOUT Despite, or perhaps because of, the relatively dramatic consequences, especially through UPHEAVALS SOLIDARITY.NO FREEDOM OF 1989/90 high standard of living compared to other the devastating loss of well-trained skilled WITHOUT Eastern Bloc countries, the dissatisfaction workers and academics. Although felt by DIVERSITY. of the people in the GDR grew in the 1980s. everyone throughout the entire GDR, these Their lack of individual liberty, freedom consequences were neither publicly mentioned of the press, democratic basic rights, as nor discussed. well as the progress of socialism constantly heralded by party and state leadership had The peace, human rights, increased the distance to the state to the point and environmental movement critical of estrangement for many people. The party of the state Women as actors in the and state leadership feared that reforms could Another counter-movement that was important upheavals of 1989/90 get out of hand and ultimately challenge the for the upheavals and changes of 1989 emerged Presentation by Marina Grasse party’s single predominance. in the early 1980s with the peace, human (shortened version) rights and environmental groups that were critical of the system and independent of the There were many women who entered the state. Many women and men emerging from political stage during the period of upheaval these groups founded civic movements and new of the GDR (the German Democratic Republic) in parties from autumn 1989 onwards. 1989/90 and who helped to set into motion the “revolution from below”. The majority of these Similar to the Federal Republic, the GDR actors had already become politically active also saw the emergence of a peace movement in various opposition groups in the 1980s and independent of the state, which opposed any were co-founders of the civic movements set up form of rearmament and militarization. in the fall of 1989. In particular, the Protestant Church and its congregations played a key role in its emergence, work and development. The first peace groups in Berlin were formed The majority of peace, human rights and there was virtually no contact between these in the parish of Alt-Pankow (with Pastor Ruth environmental groups were “mixed-gender”, “reform groups” and the peace, human rights Misselwitz) and the Samaritan parish (with as was the case with the group “Pankower and environmental groups, and if so, only on a Pastor Reiner Eppelmann). Further peace Friedenskreis” (Pankow Peace Circle). An personal level. groups were established in the early 1980s in exception was the women’s group “Frauen für other cities of the GDR such as Halle, Erfurt, den Frieden” (“Women for Peace”) which was Many actors had learned to debate in the Jena, Dresden and Leipzig. organized in October 1982 as a reaction to opposition groups. They had learned to defend the new GDR military service law. The law their political convictions even against After the failure of the peace movement and stipulated that women could be drafted into resistance. Many were able to overcome the the beginning of the stationing of modernized military service in case of mobilization. The feeling of political and social isolation and medium-range missiles in both German “Frauen für den Frieden” formed a nationwide became simply “braver”. Nevertheless, in states, new groups were formed from 1983 network and opposed the militarization of 1989, when events came thick and fast, no onwards. They linked the issue of peace more society with letters of protest and other one was prepared to suddenly step into the closely with human rights and environmental actions. The groups were in contact with spotlight of the public at large and assume problems, referring above all to the Final each other and with women’s peace groups political power and responsibility for the Act of the CSCE. The issue of human rights, in Western Europe. From the mid-1980s future of the GDR. which was extremely sensitive for the party onwards, feminist groups and lesbian groups and state leadership, increasingly directed increasingly took part in the networking Groups of actors in 1989 and 1990 the vigilance and destructive efforts of the meetings. This expansion led to conflicts In 1989, the political systems in Poland, state security organs towards those human between women from feminist groups and those Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the GDR collapse. rights groups that they considered to be who saw themselves primarily as “political” In the GDR, the protest against SED policies particularly “negative and hostile”. In groups. For some, women’s issues and the and the power apparatus spreads from the Berlin, these groups included the “Frieden criticism of patriarchy were central. For private sphere and semi-public sphere to the und Menschenrechte” (“Peace and Human others, criticism of the system was central; whole of society. New political actors and Rights”) initiative, the group “Gegenstimmen” they saw themselves first as part of the peace groups of actors emerge. Representatives of the (“Countervoices”), the “Kirche von unten” movement and only then as a women’s group. old bloc parties, such as CDU, LDPD, NDPD, (“Church from Below”), the Berliner The diversity of the women’s backgrounds and who supported the previous policy, reorient Umweltbibliothek (Berlin Environmental motives led to conflicts, but also made it and reposition themselves and enter into new Library), the group “Absage an Praxis und possible to establish links with other peace, alliances. The party and state leadership Prinzip der Ausgrenzung” (“Rejection of the human rights, environmental, feminist and are disempowered, and new power structures Practice and Principle of Exclusion”) and the lesbian groups. emerge in favor of the old bloc parties. Friedenskreis (Peace Circle) of the Samaritan Community. There were also comrades within the SED The developments are coming in a rapid who, as academics, worked on concepts for succession at this state. In what follows, the opening and democratization of socialist I will outline them in several stages. society, such as the project group “Moderner Sozialismus” (“Modern Socialism”) at the Humboldt University of Berlin. However, A new start between May and August 1989 A radical change in the revolutionary of women in “Neues Forum” has been very Local elections are held in the GDR on 7 May. phase from September to December 1989 high from the outset, in contrast to other new For the first time, an alliance of peace, human From September to the beginning of December civic movements such as “Demokratie Jetzt” rights and environmental groups succeeds 1989, new political actors come together and and “Demokratischer Aufbruch.” Not having in proving the falsification of the election new forms of action emerge. been involved with any opposition group results and making it public. There are before 1989, the physicist Angela Merkel joins growing and continuing protests nationwide. In September, the “Neues Forum” (“New “Demokratischer Aufbruch,” which merges with Security forces take massive action against Forum”) publishes its founding proclamation. the block party CDU in August 1990. the expanding demonstrations, which provokes This is followed by the formation of other further protest. Outrage grows when the SED civic movements, such as “Demokratie Jetzt” On 4 September, the big Monday demonstrations leadership publicly supports the suppression of (Democracy Now”), “Demokratischer Aufbruch” in Leipzig begin. For the first time, banners the protests on Tiananmen Square in Beijing in (“New Democratic Beginning”), “Vereinigte are carried with the demand for an “open June 1989 as an act against counterrevolution. Linke” (“United Left”). The initiators and country with free people”, freedom of assembly After the opening of the border between first signatories come largely from the peace, and association. In other cities of the Hungary and Austria, from summer onwards human rights and environmental groups that country, too, thousands take to the streets to many thousands of emigrants and refugees emerged in the 1980s. Their common goal is demonstrate for democratic reforms and free turn their backs on the GDR. This emigration to achieve social dialogue and to persuade elections. movement can no longer be stopped. the GDR leadership to undertake fundamental social reforms. They want democracy NOW, On 7 October, the SED celebrates the 40th political pluralism, free elections and thus anniversary of the Republic in Berlin with the end of the SED’s sole claim to power great pomp. High-ranking guests of state and monopoly of power. However, at least in are invited - including Michael Gorbachev. this phase there is not (yet) any talk of the On the fringes of the official celebrations, “abolition of socialism” and the unification of there are parallel demonstrations with calls the two German states. such as “We are the people”, “No violence”, “Gorbi help us”, and “Neues Forum”.
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