Signing of the CSCE Final Act in Helsinki on 1 August 1975 (from l. to r.: Helmut Schmidt, Erich Honecker, Gerald Ford, Bruno Kreisky) (Photo: Bundesarchiv, Image 183-P0801-026, Photographer: Horst Sturm)
Summit of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki, attended by 35 countries, including West and East Germany.
According to the final declaration, known as the Helsinki Final Act, the participating countries are to be guided by the principles of non-violence, the inviolability of borders, non-intervention in domestic affairs and the upholding of human rights and basic freedoms. The fostering of human contacts over borders is also agreed upon.
The human rights "Basket 3", which includes a declaration of the right to free choice of one’s place of residence, causes the GDR the main problems. In the ensuing years, more and more people who want to leave and opposition elements refer to the CSCE Final Act. However, it is an international agreement and statement of intent, not a binding treaty under international law. Helmut Schmidt and Erich Honecker meet for the first time on the sidelines of the summit.
RIAS report on the signing of the CSCE Final Act in Helsinki, 1 August 1975 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio, Broadcast: Rundschau am Mittag, Moderator/Reporter: Jürgen Schiller, Günter Graffenberger)
RIAS report on the rise in the number of applications to leave the GDR with reference to the CSCE Final Act and the UN human rights convention, 26 July 1975 (in German) (Source: Archiv Deutschlandradio)
