The end of the GDR is sealed...!


On August 31, 1990, the so-called "Unification Treaty" is signed in Berlin between the negotiators of the German Democratic Republic, Günther Krause, and the Federal Republic of Germany, Wolfgang Schäuble...:



The contract regulates in many details the dissolution of the GDR and its accession to the Federal Republic of Germany. It is also stipulated that Berlin should become the capital of the new Germany.

And finally, the contract regulates that the Federal Republic of Germany is liable for all national debts of the GDR and in return takes over the GDR's assets.

The two copies of the unification treaty visible in the picture above - with the signatures of Krause and Schäuble - are today in an extra display case in the archive of the Federal Foreign Office...:



The Unification Treaty will be accepted by the People's Chamber of the GDR on September 20, 1990 (299 votes in favour, 80 against, 1 abstention).



On the same day, the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany will also approve the contract (440 yes votes, 47 no votes, 3 abstentions)...:



It is stipulated that the treaty will come into force on October 3, 1990.

In particular, the principle of "return before compensation", which was unchangeably laid down in the "Unification Treaty", in all matters of property owners and companies that were formerly expropriated by the GDR and are now West German (who can now insist on the return of their property) and the resulting loss of many East Germans (the in such cases having to vacate the houses and businesses they have lived in for decades and previously bought in good faith for these "old owners") will in no way ensure unity, but rather much bitter strife and bad blood...