After the conclusion of negotiations, the two German governments issue a joint statement announcing the signing of a treaty between the Federal Republic and the GDR on the introduction of a monetary, economic and social union that is to enter into effect on July 1, 1990.more
The chairman of the GDR Council of Ministers, Lothar de Maizière, announces in East Berlin that January 1, 1991, has been set as a date for the reintroduction of federal states (Länder) in the GDR, thus signalling that he no longer expects pan-German elections during 1990.
This timetable is the same as that proposed by the West German chancellor, who at this time would like to hold pan-German elections at the end of 1991. But just a few days later – after the SPD claims victory at state elections on May 13 in North Rhine-Westphalia and in Lower Saxony – the chancellor realises that the costs of the reunification process, which are starting to become apparent, could become a burden to the CDU and negatively influence its election chances. Because Kohl feels that time could be short, he announces that he would be “open” to pan-German elections at the end of the year.less
5 May
1990
The first foreign ministers' conference of the two-plus-four negotiations on the external aspects of German unity takes place in Bonn.more
The CDU emerges as the strongest party (37.37%) from the first free GDR local elections. Second strongest is the SPD (21.27%). The PDS receives 14.59% of the vote.more
In Brussels, the EC and the GDR sign an agreement on trade and cooperation. The agreement covers a ten-year period. In addition, the EC foreign ministers declare their willingness to abolish obligatory visas for GDR citizens travelling to EC states as of 1 July 1990. Controls on the inner German border are also to cease on this day.
8 May
1990
There is a run on the GDR's State Insurance because of the exchange rate being set at 1:2 for insurance companies.more
10 May
1990
The chairman of the Council of Ministers, Lothar de Maizière, and the West Berlin Ruling Mayor Walter Momper agree to remove controls on the inner-city borders as of July 1990 in Berlin as well.
10 May
1990
Since details of the planned currency, economic and social union have been announced, there have been protests and even strikes across the country.more
13/14 May
1990
Under the greatest secrecy, the chancellor's adviser, Horst Teltschik, flies to Moscow with the bankers Hilmar Kopper (Deutsche Bank) and Wolfgang Röller (Dresdner Bank) to negotiate on granting a five-billion-mark loan to the Soviet Union.more
16 May
1990
To finance the unification, the federal and state governments agree in Bonn to create a “German Unity” fund. It contains 115 billion DM, of which 95 billion is to be borrowed on the credit market and 20 billion are to be taken from the federal budget.
18 May
1990
In Bonn, finance ministers Theo Waigel and Walter Romberg sign an agreement on the creation of a monetary, economic and social union. West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl calls the signing the “birth of the free and unified Germany”.more
The Soviet embassy in Bonn is given a letter from Helmut Kohl to Mikhail Gorbachev in which the chancellor says West Germany is ready to grant a 5-billion-DM loan – tied to expectations of constructive solutions in the two-plus-four process.
28 May
1990
Customs officials, border guards, and above all the GDR People's Police are suffering under their loss of respect and authority. The period between the collapse of the Wall on 9 November 1989 and the establishment of German unity on 3 October 1990 will later be referred to as “the short year of anarchy.”
RIAS report on authority problems of the People's Police in the district of Potsdam, 28 May 1990 (in German) (Quelle: Archiv Deutschlandradio)
29 May
1990
The two German governments hold preliminary talks in which they exchange their views on a unification treaty. The negotiations are led by Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble for West Germany and State Secretary Günther Krause for the GDR.
30 May
1990
Party and state leader Mikhail Gorbachev starts a trip to the United States. At his talks in Washington and Camp David with US President George Bush the following day, Gorbachev surprisingly agrees with Bush that all states have the right, according to the Helsinki Accords, to choose freely what alliance they want to belong to.more
30 May
1990
The GDR Council of Ministers decides that all street crossings in Berlin interrupted by the Wall are to be opened as of 1 July as far as is possible, and that no border controls are to be carried out any more. Construction companies from West Germany are to be asked to help pull down the Wall and restore street connections through the former “death strip” free of charge.
31 May
1990
The Volkskammer decides to audit and put into trust assets belonging to parties and mass organisations of the GDR and prepare a legal procedure for their further use.more
