Page 67 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

THE HIST OR Y OF GERM AN Y  65

that it would happen, but the country
was officially reu nified on 3 October 1990.
Since then, Ger many has been under going
a process of integration.
Germany Today
Since reunification Germany has had
an increasingly significant footing in the
Reunification ceremony outside the Reichstag in Berlin in 1990 international political and economic sphere
– especially within Europe. German troops
apparatus was set up in East Germany to take part in peacekeeping operations
watch over citizens’ activities by the infamous throughout the world, while its economy
Stasi secret police. has remained relatively stable throughout
The first Chancellor of the Federal Republic the global financial crises. Its manufacturing
of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, had Germany’s sectors are highly regarded, producing and
integration into Western Europe as his main exporting a range of goods, from luxury
objective. Thanks to aid under the Marshall cars to solar power technology, worldwide.
Plan, the economy rapidly recovered. Willy The country also enjoys a prominent
Brandt, first elected as Chancellor in 1969, position in the European Union, with
pursued a policy of openness to the East, and Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel
recognized the German Democratic Republic. considered by many to be its de facto
leader. Following the rise of the far right
Reunification populism throughout the West, some
German reunification was made possible by consider Germany to be ‘‘the leader of
a number of political events, in particular the free world’.
those going on in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Germany has also enjoyed a surge in
premier Gorbachev’s policy of glasnost led tourism, becoming one of Europe’s most
to the loosening of political constraints popular travel destinations with more than
through out the Eastern Bloc. Democratic a billion international visitors every year.
changes in Poland set off a chain reaction.
In 1989, people started to flee the German
Democratic Republic en masse via its
embassy in Prague and across the Austro-
Hungarian border. Then, on 9 November
1989, the Berlin Wall fell due to protests
in the East, and East Ger mans were free
to leave. When, only three weeks later,
Chancellor Helmut Kohl presented a ten-point
plan for German reunification, few believed Angela Merkel campaigning during the 2009 European General Elections

Helmut Kohl and Richard 2011 Germany hosts the FIFA
von Weizsäcker at the 2002 Floods Women’s World Cup
reunification ceremony cause havoc
3 Oct 1990 across 2006 Germany 2013 Devastating floods in Germany
Reunification Germany hosts FIFA and Eastern Europe are said to be the
of Germany World Cup worst in over 400 years
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
1994 2000 2005 Reopening of Dresden’s 2015 The number of refugees to
8 Nov 1989 Withdrawal of 1998 Gerhard Expo 2000 reconstructed Frauenkirche, a have arrived in Germany from
Fall of the last Russian Schröder World Fair symbol of East-West efforts the Middle East hits 1.5 million.
Berlin Wall military units becomes in Hanover
The Trabant, a trademark from Berlin Chancellor 2005 Angela Merkel is the first female chancellor
of East German industry in a “Grand Coalition” government

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