October 3 - Day of German Unity

The Day of German Unity, Germany’s national holiday, marks the day in 1990 on which the German Democratic Republic (East) acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany. More than remembering the wall, fences and armed guards that separated East from West during the Cold War, the Day of German Unity is a time to celebrate the peaceful unification and a time to look forward as the “new states” continue to surmount economic and demographic challenges.

Reunification

Following the peaceful overthrow of the East German regime in 1989, in the summer of 1990 negotiations about the reunification treaty commenced in Berlin. Eventually, on October 3, 1990, East Germany acceded to the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany

Chancellor Bush and President Bush (c) bpa/Lothar Schaack

A Historic Phonecall Between Friends

On the afternoon of October 3, 1990, after a night of joyous celebrating united Germany, Chancellor Helmut Kohl received a phone call from his friend and fellow statesman President George H. W. Bush in Washington.

Trabi painted on Berlin Wall (c) dpa/DB Kathrin Brunnhofer

Wall Stories by Germany.info Readers

On the occasion of the anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall we asked our readers, "where were you when the wall came down?" Read what Germany.info readers told us about their personal and moving memories of that historic event.

Day of German Unity

Revelers at the Brandenburg Gate on the first Day of German Unity in 1990, © picture-alliance/ZB