Berlin 1986-1990

Timeline created by catchwing in History
Event Date: Event Title: Event Description:
La_belle_disco_tiny 04/05/1986 A bomb explodes at La Belle disco in West Berlin 3 people are killed, 230 injured (including 50 Americans). It was later blamed on Libya and was done with the knowledge of the Stasi.
11/24/1986 Michael Britner shot trying to escape The East Germans overcame the embarrassment of this by denying that it happened at all.
02/12/1987 Pair try to crash a truck through the Wall Lutz Schmidt and Peter Schulze try to break through in the southern suburb of Berlin near the Schonefeld Airport. Schmidt is shot through the heart and dies instantly. Schulze makes it across. The Stasi say that Schmidt was killed in an unfortunate traffic accident.
Timeline__reagan__hoch__b_property_galeriebild__gross_tiny 06/12/1987 Ronald Reagan gives a speech at Brandenburg Gate "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall"
07/31/1987 The GDR abolishes the death penalty * only month/year accurate
01/18/1989 Honecker believed the wall would stand for another 50-100 years There were even plans to create a 100 year wall. It would be more high tech and more impregnable than any previous ones.
0_1020_1427692_00_tiny 02/05/1989 Chris Gueffroy killed Believing that the "shoot to kill" order has been abandoned, Chris and a friend try to get over the wall. His friend is shot and wounded. Chris is the last to be killed trying to escape. Again the Stasi tried to cover up the killing but it causes an international outcry.
Roundtable_agreement_tiny 04/05/1989 Roundtable Agreement signed in Poland Legalizes independent trade unions and calls for the first partially democratic election in June
04/30/1989 Honecker lifted the "shoot to kill" order. The East Germans had never admitted that the order existed in the first place so Honecker's decision remained a state secret. *only month/year accurate
Cutting-the-iron-curtain_tiny 05/02/1989 Hungary cuts through the barbed wire The dismantling of the Iron Curtain has begun. Hungary disables the electric alarm system and cuts through the barbed wire on its border with Austria.
07/31/1989 July, August and then September, East Germans are on the move First tens, then hundreds of thousands of East Germans started heading for Hungary and Czechoslovakia. They wanted out. *only month/year accurate
August_19__1989_tiny 08/19/1989 Pan European Picnic becomes an exodus A peace demonstration at the Hungarian town of Sopron on the Austrian border turns into an exodus when Hungarian border guards hold their fire as 600 East German citizens flee to the West.
Sept_10_1989_tiny 09/10/1989 Hungary opens its borders to Western Europe Since movement between Communist countries is allowed, more than 30,000 east Germans seize the opportunity to escape. East German officials blame hate mongers in the west for inciting people to leave. They attempt to clamp down on their citizens. East Berliners start to openly demonstrate.
10/02/1989 10,000 citizens of Leipzig appear on the streets They chanted about freedom and shouted the slogan "We will stay HERE", these protestors posed a problem for Honecker since his way of dealing with dissidents had been to dump them in the West. These people wanted to stay
10/06/1989 East German radio reports that the gov't is willing to discuss reform But it's only broadcastin Leipzig
10/08/1989 Mielke issues a 'code red' alert in preparation for the Monday 'prayer meeting' at the Nikolaikirche Fearing the 70,000 Leipzig citizens who planned to attend, Mielke's order essentially gave forces a 'licence to kill' in the streets.
10/09/1989 Security forces are armed with live ammunition and were stationed in the side streets near the Nikolaikirche. Hospitals prepared for an influx of wounded. But the demonstration did not turn to violent. The fact that the Russian occupation army did not show itself was proof that Gorbachev had confined them to their barracks. It was a turning point.
October_16__1989_tiny 10/10/1989 East German news agency, ADN, reports on huge demonstration More than 100,000 people marching in Leipzig. ADN admits that people are openly criticizing the gov't and not being arrested.
10/16/1989 Politburo watches uneasily as a secret Stasi TV feed from Leipzig shows a crowd of 120,000 gathering and shouting "the Wall must go!". Honecker exclaims "Now, surely we have to do something!" but no one else in the room suggested using force. The army chief of staff, Colonel-General Fritz Streletz specifically says he won't unleash his men. "We intend to let the whole thing take its course peacefully."
_38456623_enrich238_tiny 10/18/1989 Honecker forced to resign During the Politburo meeting, Honecker asks if anyone would like to speak. Willi Stoph, chair of the Council of Ministers, says he thinks the first order on the agenda should be "The release of Comrade Erich Honecker from his duties as General Secretary and the election of Egon Krenz as General Secretary.
10/20/1989 East German television broadcast live public discussions with Communist leaders
Bundesarchiv_bild_183-1984-0622-026__egon_krenz_tiny 10/23/1989 300,000 march in Leipzig calling for Krenz' resignation
10/30/1989 Gunter Schabowski tries to explain the policies of the new government The 20,000 gathered at the Red Town Hall hear him out but still call for more than he was prepared to give.
10/30/1989 Report on the Economic Situation in the GDR with Consequences A highly secret report was submitted to the new Politburo. It made clear what had been hidden; the country was a wreck and facing bankruptcy. The GDR had been taking short term loans to make interest payments on long term credit and using its credit worthy status to assume more debt. It was fraud on a massive scale.
11/01/1989 Krenz goes to Moscow with begging bowl Gorbachev only promised to ask his friends in the West not to destabilize the GDR. Krenz returned to East Berlin empty-handed. The countdown to the end had begun.
Bundesarchiv_bild_183-1989-1104-437__berlin__demonstration_am_4 11/04/1989 1 million protestors More than 1 million protestors call for free elections, free speech, truthful news and the right to travel. East German TV newsmagazine, Actuelle Kamera, covers it all.
Willi_stoph_tiny 11/07/1989 Willi Stoph and cabinet of 44 members resign They were trying to appease the mounting protests
Guenter-schabowski-gibt-die-oeffnung-der-grenze-bekannt742003_property_poster_tiny 11/09/1989 East Berlin District Leader, Guenter Schabowski, announces new travel law During a routine press conference, he announces that applications for travel abroad can be submitted without further precondition. People starting flocking to the border crossings, quickly overwhelming the guards. By midnight, people were dancing on the wall.
Wall_falls_tiny 11/09/1989 People are climbing the Wall
Resize_brandenburgertor1989_01_tiny 12/22/1989 Brandenburg Gate is opened
Checkpoint_charlie_article_1990_a_tiny 06/22/1990 Checkpoint Charlie is removed The former guardhouse is relocated to the Allied Museum
3 10/03/1990 Germany is reunited

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