European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A ? a a. Ain Germany Heady year of unification by Patrick Moser a United press International a. A a 1 a a on Jan. 1, 1990, thousands of a berliners danced on the newly opened Berlin Wall  Mark the Start of a new decade free of the Iron curtain division of their City few of them could have guessed they were also ushering in the year of German unification. Chancellor Helmut Kohl himself has. A admitted that he had  idea at the time that More than four decades of a divided Germany would end before the year was Over. A. A. A Quot  one can forecast today How the process of rapprochement Between the two states Iri Germany will develop. But i am convinced that Unity will come if people in Germany want it Quot he said in a new. Year s message on dec. 31,1989. When he was still Chancellor of Only West Germany.  10 Mont is later the German democratic Republic s prime minister Lothar de Maiziere bid Farewell  his state. , Black and Gold hag of unify was hoisted Over All of Germany and Kohla a became the Leader of All Germany. A the oct. 3 merger of the Federal. Republic of Germany and the German a democratic Republic capped months of dramatic changes and Tough negotiations created a economic giant in the heart of. Europe and altered the continents military balance a. The turning Point in Germany a postwar history was marked by the massive democracy demonstrations of autumn 1989 that led  the collapse of East Germany s hard line communist. A dictatorship. Three weeks later on nov. 9 a 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened a s. A prime minister Hans mod Row who then headed East Germany s reformist but still a communist transitional government caused some astonishment on feb. 1,1990,  a he joined Calls for the unification of the two . Quot Germany  be a United. Fatherland for All germans Quot he  the unification process gained a momentum on March 18 when the a a communists who ruled the country for 40years were voted out of office in East a a Germany a first free i scions which. Brought in a coalition headed by Kohls. Protege and Letlow conservative de. Maiziere. A / the conservative Victory was seen As a popular mandate for Kohl s plan for Swift unification. \ v it k a Ltd a. 4 fireworks illuminate Brandenburg Gate in Berlin oct. 3 As thousands of spectators celebrate German unification. 4  one knew at that Stago what the Quot timetable would be and the first hurdles cropped up during May 6 negotiations in. A Bonn dubbed 2-plus-4 because of the ,. Participation of the two Germany and the four victorious world War ii allies a Britain a a. France the soviet Union and the United a. States a. A a a a a the soviet Union made it Clear at the a talks that it would not allow a United  be a member of the North a Atlantic treaty organization the Western a military Alliance. A a Compromise started  emerge at the next meeting of the  ministers in. Berlin on june 23 the apparent warming of the talks was symbolized by the removal a witnessed by. The ministers a of one of the last relics of the cold War checkpoint s a Charlie the Western Allied control Post at the foot of the Wall in the american sector a. A of the City. A ,. A. J the first step toward full political Union was implemented july 1,  formation of a German economic Union which Abrought the Strong Deutsche Mark and the y West German economic system  ast Germany but also brought Industrial a stagnation and growing unemployment  the Eastern state. Ltd after 4.0.years of centrally Plann i s Economy the 8,000 East German slate owned firms were ill equipped  Deal with free and Lough Competition several. Collapsed and most had  Lay Oil workers the final unification hurdle was cleared later in july when soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev  Kohl at a meeting in the a soviet Union that Moscow had dropped. A objections  plans for Germany s. Membership of nato a a and tie countdown shaded aug 23 when alter weeks of arduous negotiations East and  Germany set the Date Lor the merger. A Germany again became a single Onilio d nation As the last stroke of Midnight. Heralded oct 3, 1990. A. Millions of people celebrated the historic merger in a night of solemn ceremony which erupted into joyous celebrations. A later in the Day about 20,000 people a. Marched through the streets of Borlin protesting unification under the Mottoa Quot Germany keep your Mouth shut Quot a v about 1,000 masked leftist you Tbs broke Olf from the demonstration  Wilh a police in Eastern  downtown Square ale Ando Platz such clashes became increasingly. S frequent in Eastern Berlin and wore largely a seen As therease forthe dec. 2.electoraldefeat of the  party in All Berlin elections. A the spa also suffered a crushing defeat. In National elections Field the same Day which confirmed Kohl As the Chancellor of the reunified country. _ a. Kohl had largely focused his electoral a Campaign on the Rio he played a bringing about Swift unification a a tune when the. A. Spa was calling Lor a slower Pace toward the merger. A the Chancellor also had derived Sozio electoral benefits from separate visits  ins Hometown by both Gorbachov  Bush in . A a a a a. In his Campaign spa  Osk  a  largely Locuson tin the a a financial consequences of Rufii ligation a i uding   in Eastern oct Many a. -. ,.there is  Doub that Ifie Tii rect  Are enormous alone the soviet Union is a gelling More than $7 5 billion lion a. Germany  pay Lor Len repatriation Over a a Lour year period,.o the 300,000 Soviel troops stationed in Eastern Germany. A but several economists of coast Liat   United Ger Nany. Will eventually witness a a. Second a economic Miracle Quot similar  the a creation of the powerful West Germany out of the rums of a Defeated country largely. Destroyed by live bombing of i  last Days -. Of world War ii t. . Officials including Bush have. Quot a stressed that Germany must now also face its greater  responsibility i International affairs the Call was widely a Road As a request Tvr a More Dir pet German involve inuit in Iho put Sian Gulf Omas ,. The Bonn  pledged.$1 billion in  support  the United slates but has not deployed any troops in the Gull a. -. Region. Kohl has insisted it Sal the German a Constitution allowed for a German military deployment Only with the. Nato theater but he Sard  by puff seek a constitutional. Amendment  allow German forces  participate in re i Leftary operations called Ivy the United nations. A a Atrio  on the Guif i Isis a. F iad drawn Sharp criticism lion tie British and us governments when Ion  Rcd cello Willy Branit flow Back from a control it i Toni n  Iraq Witri a pro. Released f Ltd f i j on nov 9. R two v t it it r add in Husser. Release i if r i n i Rig t s  Ria r is a a a captive in at 4 t sea Tiv  a iowan Ruji i i t i  is Yah Rutt tsp or Ripe  Solute jul  tin cd ,.1 december 31, 1990 the stars and stripes a a k in \ Page 13