The Path to Internal Unity

Following the initial collective euphoria about the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990, the Federal Republic faced largely underestimated difficulties that were entailed with the necessary structural change in both parts of Germany. During the protracted and costly unification process, Germans in the East had to bear the social burdens of unification while those in the West shouldered the financial burdens.

What is more, alienation between East and West Germans that took place over time meant that the rapprochement of the societies was initially slow. Once the system change and institutional transfer had been largely completed in the second half of the 1990s, the success of rebuilding East Germany and an equalisation of living conditions gradually became clear.

Reforms in State and Society

The economic burdens of unification, mass unemployment in the new federal states as well as demographic change presented the country with economic and socio-political challenges. Reforms to the social system and employment market introduced with Agenda 2010 proved effective, but remained controversial. The same was true for the step-by-step increase of the retirement age and the introduction of a privately financed and publicly subsidised parallel pension system. Despite the global financial crisis in 2008 and the euro crisis in 2009, it was thus possible to stabilise the country’s economic and fiscal situation.

The most important socio-political liberalisations of the Berlin Republic included the suspension of compulsory military service and the introduction of same-sex marriage. With a heightened awareness of climate change, an energy revolution in favour of clean and renewable energies was initiated with the coal and nuclear phase-out. Following the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, this process has been accelerated accordingly.

European Integration of Unified Germany

The collapse of communism, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the ensuing independence of numerous states in Eastern Europe along with the reunification of Germany, were fundamental changes that required a far-reaching reorganisation of Europe. In doing so, Germany continued European integration policy, which had comprised a key part of foreign policy in the Federal Republic since Konrad Adenauer.

The Treaty of Maastricht signed in 1992 realised the long sought-after economic and monetary union and advanced the political union. The enlargement of the European Union to the East represented another step towards permanently overcoming the division of Europe, which Germany had played a major role in shaping and from which the country had benefited.

New Foreign and Security Policy Challenges

In foreign and security policy, Germany initially remained cautious, which was due to its historical legacy and the population’s pacifist stance. Following the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994, German Armed Forces were deployed in the Kosovo conflict against Serbia in 1999, and after attacks on 11 September 2001, in the fight against the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan.

In the Iraq war of 2003 and Libya conflict of 2011, the German Federal Government turned against its NATO allies, refused to let German soldiers participate and at the same time sought rapprochement with Russia and France. Although this stance placed a serious strain on German-American and German-British relations, NATO membership and the alliance with the USA and Great Britain were at no time called into question.

Even though Germany’s participation in international peace missions and stabilisation operations is the subject of controversy in domestic policy debate, Germany is attempting to live up to international expectations to assume responsibility in the new global political constellation.

Publication Series

Several publication series of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung deal with contemporary history topics. The issues addressed include research on Christian Democracy, but above all, German history prior to and after 1990.

Research and Sources on Contemporary History

Droste/KAS

 

In the “Research and Sources on Contemporary History” series, the Archive for Christian Democratic Politics has been publishing academic studies on Christian Democracy, depictions on the history of the Federal Republic and the CDU, along with biographies of important representatives since 1980.

 

Learn more about the Research and Sources on Contemporary History

Historical-Political Communications

KAS/ACDP

 

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s “Historical-Political Communications”, published once each year, present a forum for research and depictions on the history of Christian Democratic movements and parties and their historical background in the context of intellectual, political and social developments of the 19th and 20th centuries. The thematic focus is on Germany and Europe.

 

Learn more about the Historical-Political Communications

Zeitgeschichte AKTUELL

KAS/WD-ACDP

 

It is often that case that current debates require a foundation in contemporary history. Knowledge about the origins and background of conflicts also enables better evaluation and decision-making. Against this background, there is a great need for orientation, especially in politics. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung would like to support this. The publication series “Zeitgeschichte AKTUELL” identifies current discourse and explains the historical background and contexts.

 

Learn more about Zeitgeschichte AKTUELL

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Website Projects

With the website project “Helmut Kohl”, we present you with an extensive collection of information, materials and sources on the first all-German Federal Chancellor, Helmut Kohl. What is more, interested parties can obtain in-depth information on the pages of our “History of the CDU” project about recent party developments since 1990.

Helmut Kohl

KAS/Guenay Ulutuncok

 

The online portal provides sources and information on the life and works of Helmut Kohl (1930 to 2017). Thematic articles are devoted to his political convictions and to individual policy fields. The portal is complemented by photo galleries keywords, biographical information on companions, documents and a bibliography.

 

Learn more about the Helmut Kohl website project

On the History of the CDU After 1990

KAS

 

The overview is part of our website project "History of the CDU" and describes the development of the CDU in reunified Germany. The site and its sub-pages provide information on the party’s thematic priorities, political actors, but also the international associations.

 

Learn more about the history of the CDU after 1990

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Event Series

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung presents numerous events dealing with various aspects and topics of German history after 1990. Particularly noteworthy are our annual event series “The Kohl Era Under Discussion” as well as the “Bonn Forum on Unity”.

The Kohl Era Under Discussion

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. / Harald Odehnal

 

The goal of the event series that began in 2000 is to contribute towards research of the Kohl era and thus to a historicisation of the Federal Republic of Germany’s recent history, based on analysis of a clearly defined topic in each case. Here it is not about erecting a “monument” to the Chancellor of unity. Rather, the aim is to promote discourse on this epoch and, in addition to initial results, above all to illustrate questions and starting points for further historical research.

 

Learn more about the Kohl Era Under Discussion

Bonn Forum on Unity

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

 

Each year on 3 October, the Day of German Unity, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung holds a ceremony. This takes place in the former plenary hall of the German Bundestag in Bonn. The essence of the event, which, especially in the Rhineland, is one of the most important events of this day, is the exchange of ideas and discussion on central political and historical topics of the 21st century, among other things.

 

Learn more about the Bonn Forum on Unity

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Scholarship Offers

For doctoral candidates, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung offers the interdisciplinary doctoral programme “Democracies in Europe – Transformations in the Aftermath of 1990”. The programme is dedicated primarily to the period after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and its research on transition processes mainly focuses on the Eastern and Central European EU countries.

Doctoral Programme “Democracies in Europe – Transformations in the Aftermath of 1990”

Unknown photographer, Reproduction by Lear 21

 

West and East Germans jointly celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall

KAS/Rainer Unkel

 

Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl at a rally in February 1990

Péter Antall - Antall-család archívum

 

February 2001: Founding ceremony of the Visegrad Group: (from left to right) Vaclav Havel, Jozsef Antall, Lech Walesa

Rockcohen

 

Eight post-communist countries as well as Cyprus and Malta become members of the European Union, here: official celebration in Brussels on 1 May 2004

Kalispera Dell

 

PEGIDA demonstration in Dresden, 25 January 2015

To what extent and in what way do the communist legacy and post-communist systemic change of the last three decades influence today’s understanding and quality of democracy in the “new” and “old” member states of the European Union? Why did the upheavals of the 1990s only partially lead to the much hoped for “era of democracy, peace, and freedom” (Charter of Paris)?

The doctoral programme has set itself the goal of examining these and other fundamental questions of historical-political transformation research. News insights are to be gained about the course of transformation processes, especially in German and the Central Eastern European countries, which, in turn, should contribute to a better understanding of contemporary problems in Europe.

 

Learn more about the doctoral programme

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