| |
| 3. Germany, 1990–2000 |
| 1990, Dec. 2 |
| |
| The first all-German elections in almost 60 years took place. The ruling West German coalition of the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, and Free Democratic Party won the election. The SED, the former East German Communist Party, also won representation in the Bundestag. The federal government rapidly began to unify and improve schools, roads, and communication systems, while at the same time organizing sales of formerly state-owned industries in the East. Widespread pollution damage added to economic revitalization problems. With government resources strained, unemployment rose in the eastern states and stood near 14 percent in 1992. | 1 |
| |
| 1991, March |
| |
| Former General Secretary of the East German Communist Party Erich Honecker fled to the Soviet Union and then, in December, sought refuge in the Chilean embassy in Moscow. He was forced to go back to Germany in July 1992 to face trial for alleged brutalities under his regime. In January 1993, Honecker was released from jail and exempted from prosecution for reasons of ill health. He immediately joined his wife in Chile. | 2 |
| |
| Oct. 3 |
| |
| Racist violence: The first anniversary of unification was marred by about 50 attacks on immigrants throughout the country. In the first eight months of 1991, 4 people were killed and 169 injured in attacks on foreigners by neo-Nazis and other right-wing elements. The first year of unification was accompanied by an increase in membership in neo-Nazi organizations, from 1,200 to 6,000. Right-wing assaults increased from 270 in 1990 to 1,300 in 1991. Opinion polls also indicated a substantial decline in support for parties of the governing coalition, especially among eastern Germans, many of whom said they were made to feel like “second-class citizens” in the unified Germany. | 3 |
| |
| |
