09/12/1990 • 5 views
Formal Start of German Reunification Process Announced
On September 12, 1990, the official process to reunify the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany began, setting in motion legal, political and administrative steps leading to German unity on October 3, 1990.
Background: After the collapse of central authority in the GDR and mass public protests demanding reform and free movement, East-West talks accelerated throughout 1990. International diplomacy—particularly involving the four wartime occupying powers (the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France)—addressed security, borders and the broader European order. Within Germany, political momentum shifted toward rapid reunification rather than a prolonged confederation or federation model.
The September 12 actions: The date marks the official start of procedures to implement negotiated terms that had been agreed in principle between East and West German governments and endorsed in subsequent accords. These procedures included preparing the legal instruments and administrative measures needed for the GDR’s accession to the Federal Republic, aligning laws, determining the transfer of assets and liabilities, and arranging elections and integration of civil service structures. The transitional work also covered currency union implementation, social-security adjustments, and steps to harmonize economic and regulatory systems across the two states.
Legal and institutional steps: Key legal mechanisms used for reunification relied on the West German constitution’s provisions for accession. Treaties and accession instruments were drafted and adopted by both parliaments. The GDR’s Volkskammer (People’s Chamber) voted to accede to the Federal Republic, and the Bundestag (West German parliament) approved the necessary amendments and accession legislation. Administrative bodies were tasked with aligning laws and regulations, transferring jurisdiction over federal matters, and preparing regional governments (Länder) in the former GDR territory to operate within the Federal Republic’s federal framework.
Domestic and international context: Domestically, reunification required reconciling different legal systems, economic structures and social programs. The process provoked public debate about the pace and terms of integration, economic cost, and social consequences—issues that would continue in reunified Germany. Internationally, the process was accompanied by diplomatic agreements, including the Two Plus Four Treaty (formally concluded later in September 1990), which addressed sovereignty, borders and security arrangements involving the occupying powers, thereby clearing the path for full German sovereignty.
Outcome and significance: The formal start on September 12 was a decisive administrative milestone amid broader political decisions and international accords. It led to the final steps that produced reunification on October 3, 1990, when the five reconstituted Länder of the former GDR officially joined the Federal Republic. The reunification marked the end of the postwar division of Germany, reshaped European geopolitics, and initiated a long-term process of economic and social integration whose effects are still discussed and studied.
Notes on sources and certainty: This summary synthesizes widely documented legal and political developments from 1989–1990 concerning German reunification. Specific administrative actions on September 12 are part of the sequence of implementation steps; some procedural details and internal administrative timelines varied across ministries and authorities and are recorded in governmental archives and contemporary reporting.