The fall of the Berlin Wall is often referred
to as the “turning point”, in the reunification
of Germany. The period in which
reunification takes places spanning from
1989 -1990, a period of time of swift
changes to governing system, ultimately
leading to the reunification of Germany.
Replacement of Egon Krenz
with a reformed communist
Hans Modrow, a reformed
communist who promise
multiparty elections.
Chancellor Helmut Kohl was
not so enthusiastic about
changing the government so
fast, and set up the ‘Ten
point program’ in which East
and West Germany would
reunified over the course of
ten years. Up till this point
no legal documents had
been signed to official unity
German democratic republic into
the Federal Republic of Germany
under a legal document named
‘Article’ which came into effect of
the 23 of October 1990. With this
established, the government could
now issues a “Unity Treaty” to
officialise East and West as one.
By the 3rd of October,
Germany was reunited under
one singular rule. Fireworks lit
up the sky above Germany
providing thrills to families and
friends from the once existing
East and West.
The modern day flag of Germany
flew above the Brandenburg gate
signifying a “pan German
Government”. The reunification of
Germany is known as German Unity
and is celebrated October 3rd every
year. The Reunification of Germany
fixed political relations but the long
process of social merging was not
as easily fixed
With the reunification East Germans,
struggled to get jobs and fit into the
devolved society. One person
perspectives explained, “For me they
might as well rebuild the Berlin Wall”,
“I’ve never found my bearing in unified
Germany”.
Fall of the Soviet Union
The reunification of Germany,
had eradicated Soviet power
nationally, but not in other
soviet states. The destruction
of the Berlin Wall had pivoted
the axis of Soviet Rule, showing
that it would probably decay.
After 70 years majority of the
states gave up on communism
From February to
October 1990 six
republic resigned from
the soviet bloc through
a number of elections.
The last blow of the Soviet Union was
on 24th of August 1991, Gorbachev
resigned. Gorbachev led the way in
implementing rule and reform, with
him gone the Soviet Union effectively
lost all legal moral
On the 25th of December,
Gorbachev made an
internationally publicized
speech officialising his
resignation, “I hereby
discontinue my activities at the
post of President of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics”.
From that day onwards, the
Soviet Union ceased to exist.
The destruction of the
Berlin Wall acted as a
catalysis, and ultimately
sped up the fall of the
Soviet Union. It sparked
reunification which later
showed other stated in
the soviet bloc that they
could ultimately achieve
that independence was
achievable
When proven successful it was only matter of time until the entire
Soviet Bloc vanished from Eastern Europe. The destruction of the Berlin
Wall had resulted in a happier life within a once existing soviet
territory. Life seemed better without walls and terror. 1991 symbolised
freedom to the trapped humans of the Soviet Bloc. The fifteen newly
formed independent country’s which have emerged from the fall of the
Soviet Union, had to develop, their economies, reorganize their political
systems and in many cases settle bitter territorial disputes. Which
ultimately led to some wars. The fall of the Soviet Union created new
country, left the fear of the communist Soviet Union.
Economic changes
Factories and business were closed down or were greatly
downsize. Majority of these business were in the East of
Germany. When the wall was first erect, Soviets
confiscated majority of the Eastern business such as
factory’s and farms, they were then relocated to new
owners according to communist method
Not only was the East cut of from trade, but the
East had major problems when the reunification
came. The business had no Soviet monetary
backing and the majority of the owners shifted
away from the east. After the destruction of the
Berlin Wall, 14,000 companies shut down and
approximately four million jobs were lost.
Since 1929 there had been talks of creating a one whole European. Right up to the fall of the Berlin
Wall they were talking about how they would create the Euro, and with the fall of the Berlin Wall and
the end of the soviet Union it seem the right time to create the Euro. On the 1st of December 1990
fourteen countries across Europe adapted to the one currency known as the Euro.
Germany, was Germany becoming the ‘economic powerhouse’ of Europe. The fear of the crisis in the
Eurozone, with Greece and Spain, and few other European countries in debt. Germany economic
stability ultimately is the country keeping the Eurozone alive. With Germany exporting complex
machinery and Vehicles creating 1.453 trillion USD. With Germany creating this money, it helping
keep the Euro alive and will Greece and Spain and the other country’s sort out there financial issues
. Germanys economic changes affect New Zealand also. The Soviet Union refused trade with the
outside world, therefore a large proportion on New Zealand exports and imports ceased. 1989 when
the Berlin Wall fell, trade resumed. New Zealand joined Germany in trade, and economically
beneficial move. Exports of wool were the biggest export contributing to ride of New Zealands GNI
per capita (13,320 1989 0 13,430 1990).