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| 1969, Dec. 18 |
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| New Ulbricht proposals to Bonn, asking for full diplomatic relations, the recognition of West Berlin as an independent unit (not part of West Germany), and so on. | 1 |
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| 1970, March–May |
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| The first meetings between West German chancellor Willy Brandt and the East German chairman of the Council of State (prime minister) Willi Stoph (See 1970, March 19). Though inconclusive, their meetings marked an important departure from their previous relationship and led to their mutual diplomatic recognition in 1973. | 2 |
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| 1971, May 3 |
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| Walter Ulbricht, first secretary of East Germany, resigned; his successor was Erich Honecker, who also became the chairman of the Council of State and the general secretary of the East German Communist Party (a change of title from first secretary) in 1976. | 3 |
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| 1972, Nov |
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| Some 30,000 political prisoners were released in an amnesty. | 4 |
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| 1973, Sept. 18 |
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| Both East and West Germany became members of the United Nations after they recognized each other's sovereignty. | 5 |
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| 1981, April 11–16 |
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| At the Tenth Congress of the Socialist Unity Party (SED), Honecker expressed a will to maintain and improve relations with West Germany. Prime Minister Willi Stoph stressed the development of heavy industry in a new five-year plan. | 6 |
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| 1984, Sept. 4 |
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| Honecker postponed a visit to West Germany scheduled for October after Soviet attacks on his perceived willingness to improve relations with West Germany. | 7 |
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| Mid-1980s |
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| A preoccupation with the German past again emerged as part of what the intellectual community referred to as the “historians' debate” (Historikerstreit). Extensive discussion centered around the effort to reckon with Germany's National Socialist heritage. | 8 |
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| 1986, Feb. 19–22 |
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| East German Parliament president Horst Sindermann visited Bonn. A cultural agreement was signed between East and West Germany. | 9 |
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| 1987, July |
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| The Council of State announced the abolition of the death penalty and a general amnesty, effective on Oct. 8, for all prisoners except those sentenced for war crimes, espionage, or murder. | 10 |
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| Sept. 7–11 |
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| Honecker visited West Germany. The visit was the first undertaken by an East German head of state. Several agreements were signed between the two German states. | 11 |
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