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Federal President Köhler’s Message on the Day of German Unity

Federal President Köhler

Berlin, 13 September 2005

On 3 October the Germans are celebrating the 15^th anniversary of national unity in freedom. It is a wonderful day for Germany. It reminds us how the people in the GDR fought the Communist dictatorship using peaceful means to win their freedom. They thereby wrote one of the most beautiful chapters in Germany’s history and bestowed this gift on all of us in Germany. This ushered in the new, united Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990. Many friends and partners helped us and the whole world shared in our joy.

One and a half decades have since passed and we have achieved much thanks to the drive and solidarity of Germans in east and west. Towns in eastern Germany have been saved from ruin and reveal new splendour. There are new roads, railway lines and modern telecommunication networks. Internationally acclaimed centres for science and technology have sprung up. Considerable success has been seen with building up the economy.

But we also know that many problems still remain to be solved. The most pressing is the problem of the millions of unemployed – in the new Länder but also all across Germany. At the same time, we have to deal with the ageing of our society. These are major tasks for policy-makers yet these tasks have been identified and the process of renewal has begun. Now we have to steadily continue and deepen the modernization process. I am certain Germany as a whole will ultimately emerge all the stronger.

The people who brought down the Wall on 9 November 1989 were able to tap the thinking and the model of Polish Solidarity which, as the first free trade union in the eastern bloc, was able to overcome the pressure of the regime. Nor will we forget the courageous opening of Hungary’s border. We are grateful for the help offered by our neighbours and want to push ahead with European unification together with them. German unity is rooted in European unification. Germany has its firm place in Europe. We want also the new members of the European Union to feel their interests, for example in a common European foreign policy, are well represented. And we want to further develop the European Union in partnership with the United States.

Germany is continuing along its path of renewal and is thereby also playing its part in strengthening Europe. We need the united Europe to underpin peace, freedom, security and prosperity for its citizens. Yet Europe’s tasks stretch far beyond its borders. An economically strong Europe is helping improve the balance in the global economy. In this way our continent can become a key partner when it comes to eradicating world poverty. It is a question of Europe’s self-respect to take on a pioneering role on this issue.

Of course here in Germany we are especially looking forward to hosting the Football World Cup next summer. We are delighted to invite guests from all around the world to get to know Germany as an open and welcoming country.

Federal President Köhlers signature