The Rise and Fall of a Socialist Welfare State
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December 07, 1989 East Germany: Political Vacuum in the Making
Digital Archive digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org International History Declassified December 07, 1989 East Germany: Political Vacuum in the Making Citation: “East Germany: Political Vacuum in the Making,” December 07, 1989, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive, Approved for Release by the Central Intelligence Agency, October 29, 2019. https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/209497 Summary: An analysis of the unraveling of Communist rule in East Germany and the oppositions' efforts to establish an alternative Original Language: English Contents: Scan of Original Document Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826808 ~et I 6.2(d) EAST GERMANY: PolUlcal Vacuum in che Making Premier ModroH' 11nd otlrer democraticall)' minded forces are scrambling to dea·elop an alternatfre political rtructure as Communist rule crumbles in East German)" 6.2(d) The State Council yesterday named Liberal Democratic Party leader Manfred Gerlach the country's first non-Communist president, replacing Egon Krenz. The Peasants' Party and Gerlach's Liberal Democrats ha"e followed the Christian Democrats in withdrawing from the National Front group, which the C.:immunists ha,·e used in their effort to assert authority. According to Western press reports, the State Council has accepted the resignation of the entire National Defense Council-the supreme commanding body for the military and security services. The Communist party. meanwhile, announced that it is mo\'ing up its emergency party coniress by a week, to tomorrow\ \ 6.2(d) Roundtable talks arc to open today in East Berlin between opposition and government lead1:r:1. Th1: Communists wiii have two representative out of 31; opposition groups will have 14, the ~fo'-"u=r---, non-Communist parties 12, and the Protestant Church three. -
Nato Enlargement and Central Europe a Study in Cml-Military Relations Nato Enlargement and Central Europe a Study in Cml-Military Relations
NATO ENLARGEMENT AND CENTRAL EUROPE A STUDY IN CML-MILITARY RELATIONS NATO ENLARGEMENT AND CENTRAL EUROPE A STUDY IN CML-MILITARY RELATIONS by Jeffrey Simon 1996 Institute For National Strategic Studies National Defense University National Defense University Press Publications To increase general knowledge and inform discussion, the Institute for National Strategic Studies, through its publication arm the NDU Press, publishes McNair Papers; proceedings of University- and Institute-sponsored symposia; books relating to U.S. national security, especially to issues of joint, combined, or coalition warfare, peacekeeping operations, and national strategy; and a variety of briefer works designed to circulate contemporary comment and offer alternatives to current poli- cy. The Press occasionally publishes out-of-print defense classics, historical works, and other especially timely or distinguished writing on national security. Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are sole- ly those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or any other U.S. Government agency. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited. Portions of this book may be quoted or reprinted without permission, provided that a standard source credit line is included. NDU Press would appreciate a courtesy copy of reprints or reviews. Many NDU Press publications are sold by the U.S. Government Printing Otiice. For ordering information, call (202) 783-3238 or write to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Oflqce, Washington, DC 20402. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Simon,Jeffrey, 1942- NATO enlargement and Central Europe: a study in civil-military relations / Jeffrey Simon. -
Machtwechsel in Ost-Berlin. Der Sturz Walter Ulbrichts 1971
JOCHEN STELKENS MACHTWECHSEL IN OST-BERLIN Der Sturz Walter Ulbrichts 1971 „Nach reiflicher Überlegung habe ich mich entschlossen, das Zentralkomitee auf seiner heutigen Tagung zu bitten, mich von der Funktion des Ersten Sekretärs des Zentralko mitees der SED zu entbinden. Die Jahre fordern ihr Recht und gestatten es mir nicht län ger, eine solche anstrengende Tätigkeit wie die des Ersten Sekretärs des Zentralkomitees auszuüben. Ich erachte daher die Zeit für gekommen, diese Funktion in jüngere Hände zu geben, und schlage vor, Genossen Erich Honecker zum Ersten Sekretär des Zentral komitees zu wählen."1 Eher nüchtern und scheinbar auch gefaßt verabschiedete sich Walter Ulbricht am 3. Mai 1971 auf der 16. ZK-Tagung der SED von der großen Weltpo litik, und man hätte auf den ersten Blick vermuten können, daß es sich - hauptsächlich wegen seines fortgeschrittenen Alters - um einen reibungslosen Übergang zu seinem Nachfolger Erich Honecker handelte. Hermann Axen, schon damals und noch bis 1989 Mitglied des Politbüros sowie Sekretär des ZK für internationale Verbindungen, nährte nach dem Fall der Mauer solche Mutmaßungen2: „Die Ablösung war kein Coup, kein Komplott. Es war nicht gemanagt. Hätten wir das nicht getan, wäre Walter Ulbricht frü her gestorben; wir haben sein Leben verlängert. Leicht ist ihm die Korrektur, die der VIII. Parteitag vornahm, und die Tatsache, daß er nicht mehr Erster Sekretär der Partei war, natürlich nicht gefallen. Schon auf dem 16. Plenum hatte er die Entscheidung ehrlich akzeptiert und Erich Honecker als seinen Nachfolger umarmt und beglückwünscht. Wir müssen Hochachtung vor Walter empfinden, der die Partei über alles stellte."3 Allerdings war schon ziemlich bald für DDR-Forscher im Westen klar, daß der Machtwechsel von Ulbricht zu seinem politischen Ziehsohn Honecker nicht so rei bungslos verlaufen war, wie ihn die SED nach außen darstellen wollte. -
German History Reflected
The Detlev Rohwedder Building German history reflected GFE = 1/2 Formathöhe The Detlev Rohwedder Building German history reflected Contents 3 Introduction 44 Reunification and Change 46 The euphoria of unity 4 The Reich Aviation Ministry 48 A tainted place 50 The Treuhandanstalt 6 Inception 53 The architecture of reunification 10 The nerve centre of power 56 In conversation with 14 Courage to resist: the Rote Kapelle Hans-Michael Meyer-Sebastian 18 Architecture under the Nazis 58 The Federal Ministry of Finance 22 The House of Ministries 60 A living place today 24 The changing face of a colossus 64 Experiencing and creating history 28 The government clashes with the people 66 How do you feel about working in this building? 32 Socialist aspirations meet social reality 69 A stroll along Wilhelmstrasse 34 Isolation and separation 36 Escape from the state 38 New paths and a dead-end 72 Chronicle of the Detlev Rohwedder Building 40 Architecture after the war – 77 Further reading a building is transformed 79 Imprint 42 In conversation with Jürgen Dröse 2 Contents Introduction The Detlev Rohwedder Building, home to Germany’s the House of Ministries, foreshadowing the country- Federal Ministry of Finance since 1999, bears wide uprising on 17 June. Eight years later, the Berlin witness to the upheavals of recent German history Wall began to cast its shadow just a few steps away. like almost no other structure. After reunification, the Treuhandanstalt, the body Constructed as the Reich Aviation Ministry, the charged with the GDR’s financial liquidation, moved vast site was the nerve centre of power under into the building. -
Schießbefehl and the Issues of Retroactivity Within the East German Border Guard Trials Keegan Mcmurry Western Oregon University, [email protected]
Western Oregon University Digital Commons@WOU Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History) Department of History 2018 Schießbefehl and the Issues of Retroactivity Within the East German Border Guard Trials Keegan McMurry Western Oregon University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/his Part of the Diplomatic History Commons, European History Commons, Legal Commons, and the Political History Commons Recommended Citation McMurry, Keegan, "Schießbefehl and the Issues of Retroactivity Within the East German Border Guard Trials" (2018). Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History). 264. https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/his/264 This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at Digital Commons@WOU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History) by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@WOU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Schießbefehl1 and the Issues of Retroactivity Within the East German Border Guard Trials Keegan J. McMurry History 499: Senior Seminar June 5, 2018 1 On February 5th, 1989, 20-year old Chris Gueffroy and his companion, Christian Gaudin, were running for their lives. Tired of the poor conditions in the German Democratic Republic and hoping to find better in West Germany, they intended to climb the Berlin Wall that separated East and West Berlin using a ladder. A newspaper account states that despite both verbal warnings and warning shots, both young men continued to try and climb the wall until the border guards opened fire directly at them. Mr. Gaudin survived the experience after being shot, however, Mr. -
The Rhetorical Crisis of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
THE RHETORICAL CRISIS OF THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL: FORGOTTEN NARRATIVES AND POLITICAL DIRECTIONS A Dissertation by MARCO EHRL Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Nathan Crick Committee Members, Alan Kluver William T. Coombs Gabriela Thornton Head of Department, J. Kevin Barge August 2018 Major Subject: Communication Copyright 2018 Marco Ehrl ABSTRACT The accidental opening of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, dismantled the political narratives of the East and the West and opened up a rhetorical arena for political narrators like the East German citizen movements, the West German press, and the West German leadership to define and exploit the political crisis and put forward favorable resolutions. With this dissertation, I trace the neglected and forgotten political directions as they reside in the narratives of the East German citizen movements, the West German press, and the West German political leadership between November 1989 and February 1990. The events surrounding November 9th, 1989, present a unique opportunity for this endeavor in that the common flows of political communication between organized East German publics, the West German press, and West German political leaders changed for a moment and with it the distribution of political legitimacy. To account for these new flows of political communication and the battle between different political crisis narrators over the rhetorical rights to reestablish political legitimacy, I develop a rhetorical model for political crisis narrative. This theoretical model integrates insights from political crisis communication theories, strategic narratives, and rhetoric. -
Document 21:</B>
Volume 10. One Germany in Europe, 1989 – 2009 The Storming of the Stasi Headquarters (January 16, 1990) The PDS-led government’s plan to merely restructure – rather than disband – the hated secret police [Stasi] prompted angry citizens to storm its headquarters. Their goal was to force the complete dissolution of the Stasi, but also to preserve the organization’s voluminous records, which contained incontrovertible evidence of its repressive activities. The following account of the storming of the headquarters appeared in Neues Deutschland. First Stormed, then Ravaged Calls to Remain Calm Go Unheeded/ Hans Modrow Appeals to Reason From our Reporters Klaus Morgenstern and Wolfgang Richter Berlin. At 5 P.M., the first demonstrators climbed the gate. Under pressure from the masses, the police opened the steel entry gate to the headquarters of the former Office of State Security in Berlin. Tens of thousands stormed the entrances on Rusche and Normannen streets. On banners and in chants they expressed their indignation at the hesitant dissolution of the state security service in Berlin, crying “Stasi to the mines,” “Down with the Stasi,” and “No pardon for the Stasi or there’ll be trouble.” The New Forum had called for a peaceful “demonstration against Stasi and Nasi*” last Thursday during a demonstration at the Volkskammer. But as events progressed on Monday, the organizers gradually lost control. The first to enter charged to House 18, a block of offices and supply rooms. Stones smashed the glass entrance, clearing the way into the building. A large, howling crowd stormed the multistory building. Papers and furniture flew to the pavement from shattered windows. -
Heft 4 Oktober 1997
VIERTELJAHRSHEFTE FÜR Zeitgeschichte Im Auftrag des Instituts für Zeitgeschichte München herausgegeben von KARL DIETRICH BRACHER HANS-PETER SCHWARZ HORST MÖLLER in Verbindung mit Theodor Eschenburg, Rudolf v. Albertini, Dietrich Geyer, Hans Mommsen, Arnulf Baring und Gerhard A. Ritter Redaktion: Manfred Kittel, Udo Wengst, Jürgen Zarusky Chefredakteur: Hans Woller Stellvertreter: Christian Hartmann Institut für Zeitgeschichte, Leonrodstr. 46b, 80636 München, Tel. 1268 80, Fax 12317 27 45. Jahrgang Heft 4 Oktober 1997 INHALTSVERZEICHNIS AUFSÄTZE Jochen Stelkens Machtwechsel in Ost-Berlin. Der Sturz Walter Ulbrichts 1971 503 Anja Heuß Die „Beuteorganisation" des Auswärtigen Amtes. Das Sonderkommando Künsberg und der Kultur gutraub in der Sowjetunion 535 Gilad Margalit Die deutsche Zigeunerpolitik nach 1945 557 Rolf Steininger Großbritannien und der Vietnamkrieg 1964/65 . 589 II Inhaltsverzeichnis DOKUMENTATION Bert Hoppe Von Schleicher zu Hitler. Dokumente zum Konflikt zwischen dem Reichs landbund und der Regierung Schleicher in den letzten Wochen der Weimarer Republik 629 NOTIZ Das TransCoop-Programm 659 ABSTRACTS 661 MITARBEITER DIESES HEFTES 663 Verlag und Anzeigenverwaltung: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH, Rosenheimer Straße 145, 81671 München. Für den Inhalt verantwortlich: Horst Möller; für den Anzeigenteil: Suzan Hahnemann. Erscheinungsweise: Vierteljährlich. Bezugspreis incl. gesetzlicher MWSt 1997: Jahresabonnement Inland DM 92,40 (DM 78,- + DM 14,40 Versandspesen); Österreich öS 693,- (569,- + 124,- Versandspesen); Schweiz und übriges Aus land DM/sFr 94,80 (78,- + 16,80 Versandspesen). Studentenabonnement (nur Inland) DM 74,40 (60,- + 14,40 Versandspesen); Einzelheft DM 26,-, öS 190,-, sFR 26,- + Versandspesen. Bezieher der Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte sind berechtigt, die der Zeit schrift angeschlossene Schriftenreihe der Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte (2 Bände im Jahr) im Abonne ment zum Vorzugspreis von DM 52,- zuzüglich Versandkosten zu beziehen. -
Puppet Regime Vs. Lead Nation, Der Lange Weg Zur Anerkennung Der DDR Durch Die USA
Puppet Regime vs. Lead Nation, Der lange Weg zur Anerkennung der DDR durch die USA Inauguraldissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Philosophischen Fakultät der Universität zu Bonn vorgelegt von Philip Alexander Matthes aus Düsseldorf Bonn 2010 Gedruckt mit der Genehmigung der Philosophischen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Joachim Scholtyseck 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Klaus Hildebrand Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 9. Feburar 2007 3 I. Einleitung ............................................................................................................... 6 A. Problemstellung und Methoden.......................................................................... 7 1. Problemstellung ........................................................................................... 7 2. Methoden ................................................................................................... 11 B. Quellenlage und Forschungsstand .................................................................... 13 1. Quellenlage ................................................................................................ 13 2. Forschungsstand......................................................................................... 18 C. Der institutionelle Rahmen der ostdeutsch-amerikanischen Beziehungen....... 29 1. USA............................................................................................................ 29 2. DDR .......................................................................................................... -
DER SPIEGEL Jahrgang 1999 Heft 45
Werbeseite Werbeseite DAS DEUTSCHE NACHRICHTEN-MAGAZIN Hausmitteilung 8. November 1999 Betr.: Havel, Speer, Wehrmacht, Limbach er tschechische Staatspräsident Václav Havel bat um Entschuldigung: „Ich Dkomme zu spät, ich weiß“, sagte er den zum Gespräch angereisten SPIEGEL- Redakteuren Olaf Ihlau, 57, und Walter Mayr, 39. Grund für die Verspätung: Das Staatsoberhaupt hatte gerade seine Fahrer und Sicherheitsbeamten angewiesen, ihn künftig wie einen normalen Menschen durch die Gegend zu kutschieren – nicht mehr mit Hupe, Blaulicht und in rasender Geschwindigkeit. „Unheimliche Qualen“ habe er in den vergangenen Jahren bei dem rabiaten Fahrstil in den Dienstkaros- sen ertragen, erzählte Havel den SPIEGEL-Leuten, „es ist so unangenehm, wenn mir die Leute auf der Straße die Zunge rausstrecken oder drohend winken“. Da- mit solle jetzt Schluss sein (Seite 218). ahrelang hatte sich der Frank- Jfurter Architekt Albert Speer, 65, einem Gespräch mit dem SPIEGEL verweigert. Speer ist einer der er- folgreichsten deutschen Stadtpla- ner, scheute aber, als Sohn des Hit- ler-Architekten, die Öffentlichkeit. Nun – auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Karriere – überwand er sich doch. Sieben Stunden sprach Speer mit den SPIEGEL-Redakteuren Susan- ne Beyer, 30, und Dietmar Pieper, G. GERSTER 36, erklärte ihnen stolz seine Pläne Beyer, Speer, Pieper für den Bau des Europaviertels in Frankfurt am Main und berichtete von Kindheitserinnerungen an Adolf Hitler: „Aus meiner Perspektive war er ein Onkel wie jeder andere auch“ (Seite 239). m die Aufklärung von Verbrechen der Wehrmacht bemüht sich seit 1995 das UHamburger Institut für Sozialforschung mit einer viel beachteten Ausstellung. Schon vor einem Jahr hatte sich allerdings der Historiker Bogdan Musial beim SPIEGEL gemeldet und von Fehlern berichtet: Einige Bilder zeig- ten nicht Opfer deutscher Soldaten, sondern des sowjetischen Ge- heimdienstes. -
After the Wall: the Legal Ramifications of the East German Border Guard Trials in Unified Germany Micah Goodman
Cornell International Law Journal Volume 29 Article 3 Issue 3 1996 After the Wall: The Legal Ramifications of the East German Border Guard Trials in Unified Germany Micah Goodman Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cilj Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Goodman, Micah (1996) "After the Wall: The Legal Ramifications of the East German Border Guard Trials in Unified Germany," Cornell International Law Journal: Vol. 29: Iss. 3, Article 3. Available at: http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cilj/vol29/iss3/3 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Cornell Law: A Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Cornell International Law Journal by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Cornell Law: A Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOTES After the Wall: The Legal Ramifications of the East German Border Guard Trials in Unified Germany Micah Goodman* Introduction Since the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, the German government' has tried over fifty2 former East German soldiers for shooting and killing East German citizens who attempted to escape across the East- West German border.3 The government has also indicted a dozen high- ranking East German government officials.4 The German government charged and briefly tried Erich Honecker, the leader of the German Demo- cratic Republic (G.D.R.) from 1971 to 1989, for giving the orders to shoot escaping defectors. 5 While on guard duty at the border between the two * Associate, Rogers & Wells; J.D., Cornell Law School, 1996; B.A., Swarthmore College, 1991. -
The Handover
THE HANDOVER There comes a point at which every development cooperation project which is designed to continue in the long-term has to face up to the question of handing over to local partners. The School for Life, now in its eleventh year of existence, was transferred over to 100% Thai management on the 15th of September 2014. In terms of development policy, this step was already overdue. International cooperation still continues to take place via the Board of the School for Life Foundation, but on campus, Thais will from now on take sole responsibility for educational, social, operational and financial affairs. The School for Life was founded in 2003 through the German-Thai cooperation of Thaneen “Joy” Worrawittayakun and Jürgen Zim- mer. In 2006, Dominique Leutwiler from Switzerland became its General Manager, and until earlier this year led the project with a sure touch, contributing greatly towards the protection of the school in times of financial difficulty. The School for Life owes her the greatest of thanks. She based her management on international standards and ensured transparency and credibility, as her successes in fundraising prove. She was supported by Khun Anchana, who was responsible for the quality of accounting as well as being engaged in many ways in the School for Life and its children. She also deserves great thanks. The handover of the project to the Thais necessitates a team of people who want this too. Whether in Latin America, Asia or Africa, many cases of development cooperation have experienced this transfer to be problematic and it has often been at this point that the project gives up the ghost.