Before 31 August 1990, Berlin and Europe had been divided for more than 40 years. A division perceptible within society, and visible in the form of a wall separating the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. For many, the formation of a unified and at the same time diverse federal German state was unimaginable, however the signing of the Unification Treaty marked a historic turning point. The German reunification was a historic result impossible without European cooperation.

Early on, European Movement (EM) Germany campaigned for a United Europe and witnessed the process towards a unified Germany. After all, it was European Movement International that extended its hand to the West Germans at the Congress of Europe. In 1949, EM Germany was co-founded by Winston Churchill’s son-in-law. The Council of Europe would not have been conceivable without the “diplomacy of the people” at the time. The fall of the Berlin Wall and of the Iron Curtain symbolized a cornerstone for European solidarity. Recently, this solidarity was put to the test when, 30 years after reunification, borders across Europe were closed again for the first time because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This week’s EM Germany newsletter focuses on the 30th anniversary of the German reunification in the European context. The weekly newsletter gives an overview of a great number of EU-related events, presents news and voices of the network. Click here to read the current newsletter edition.

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