MHM Forum

1. Was the fall of the Berlin Wall immediately considered to be the first step toward German reunification?

Yes - this is how it was presented in the Polish media and historical sources. It was considered to be a turning point leading towards German Unification by means of paceful revolution symbolised by the fall of Berlin Wall.

2. Was the fall of the Berlin Wall immediately considered to be the first step toward the end of communism in Eastern Europe, and, in a broader sense, the end of the Cold War?

From Polsih point of view such a statment is unfair since the German events took place after the meetings at the round table (February-April) and first semi-democratic election in June 1989 witch was won by the anti-communist opposition. Leading to Poles the chenges in Germany the fall of Wall wouldn`t have accured if Solidarity had not been arised in 1980 and communist political system abolished in Poland ealier.
The Berlin Wall and its fell is absolutely considered by Poles as a symbol of Cold War and it`s end, end of Russian domination in eastern Europe.

3. In Germany the Fall of the Berlin Wall is commonly termed “The Turn” (Die Wende) or “The Peaceful Revolution of the Fall of  89” (Die friedliche Revolution vom Herbst 89). What terms and phrases are commonly used in your countries?

Analogically to your Peaceful Revolution we have also for example expression "Velvet Revolution" in Czechoslovakia Republic. The expression witch you mentioned do not function in Polish sources. We use rather phases like "the fall of Berlin Wall" or " the first stage of German Unification" or the term "Jesien Ludow - Autumn of Volk`s (people)" refering to changes (1989) the whole Middle and Eastern Europe.

4. In the fall of 1989 Germans were in a state of national euphoria for many weeks. To what extent did the public and your media share the joy and euphoria that accompanied the wall's fall in 1989?

The events in Germany were discussed widely in Poland and public definitely shared the joy and very happy of the Germans relating to the fall of Berlin Wall and then reunification. Polish people solidarity with the German People who caused the fall of Berlin Wall was chearly visible.
We have to remember that the Soviet Union still existed and the fall events in Germany witch symbolised the begining of the decline of communist era in East Germany were the source of joy and happiness of people in all Eastern Europen countries.

5. Were there any voices to be heard that were critical of what was going on in Germany in the fall of 1989? Were there, for example, growing fears regarding what kind of role a unified Germany would hold in Europe and in the world; fears of Germany as a new military superpower, reminding of the Nazi past?

There were no critical voices of what was going on in Germany at that time. The voices of growing threats from the united Germany were comming from the communist groups who used this tactics very often (it was typical communist propaganda - one of the element of this propaganda: German`s threat). However, the anticommunist opposition never accepted their point of view. It was only after Germany Reunification when you could hear voices regarding German chains to regain their former teritories in the East and North of Poland, especially with the appreance of Erica Steinbach and her politycy.

6. What major reasons do your sources give for the fall of the wall and the decline of the communist system in Eastern Germany?

a) Changes in the whole Europe started in Poland in 1980 with the establishment of Solidarity, the round table meeting and the election in 1989. Poland is considered a former of the changes.
b) Gorbachev`s policy - "Glasnost" & "Perestroika" which guaranteed that USSR would not intervere with the affairs in Eastern and Central Europe.
c) Lack of support of the communist regime in Eastern Germany from USSR.
d) The fall of Berlin wall and Communist System in Germany, opening of the border beetwen Eastern and Wstern Germany, the resignation of communist leader Erich Honecker and the Reunification decision made by the Eastern Germany Parliament.