Germany · 25 years of German Unity

After the Second World War, Germany was divided into occupation zones. In 1949, two states emerged from them: the Bundesrepublik Deutschland in the west and the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR) in the east. The two belonged to different political and military alliance systems. From 1961 onward, the Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer), together with the DDR’s border installations, made escape to the West more difficult and separated families, circles of friends and economic ties.

In 1989, the DDR leadership came under increasing pressure. Many people left the country via other Eastern Bloc states; at the same time, demonstrators called for political freedom, free elections and freedom of movement. A peaceful protest movement developed, originating in part from the Leipzig Monday demonstrations (Leipziger Montagsdemonstrationen). Its slogan, “We are the people” (“Wir sind das Volk”), was initially directed against the state leadership’s claim to speak for the population. As calls for state reunification grew, the slogan partly changed to “We are one people” (“Wir sind ein Volk”).

The opening of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 accelerated political developments. In the first free Volkskammer election in March 1990, those forces seeking rapid reunification won a majority. This was followed by the currency, economic and social union, as well as negotiations between the two German states. At the same time, the Bundesrepublik Deutschland, the DDR and the four former occupying powers regulated foreign policy matters in the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (Zwei-plus-Vier-Vertrag), including Germany’s borders and full state sovereignty.

On 3 October 1990, the DDR acceded to the Bundesrepublik Deutschland. The re-established eastern German Länder became part of the federal territory; at the same time, Berlin once again became a common city and later the seat of the Bundestag and the Federal Government (Bundesregierung). Since then, 3 October has been the statutory Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit).

In 2015, the 25th anniversary provided an occasion to remember not only the political union but also the peaceful revolution and the role of the population in bringing the rule of the SED to an end. The coin thus places the anniversary in a civic and, at the same time, European context.