Celebrating 28 Years of German Reunification

On 3 October 1990, the accession of the German Democratic Republic – the former communist “East Germany” – to the Federal Republic of Germany marked the end of more than 40 years of painful division of Europe, the frontline of which ran right through Germany. The decisive factor for this historic achievement was the extraordinary courage of people in the GDR, who brought down the communist regime and overwhelmingly demanded Germany reunification. But this would not have been possible without the direct and indirect support of many. The negotiators of the CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975 had empowered civil societies, fostered EastWest contacts at all levels and established the principle, that the respect of Human Rights is not an internal affair. The powerful Polish Solidarność movement inspired men and women in many countries to fight for their rights against an oppressive regime. Far-sighted political leaders, notably Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, understood that political suppression leads to a dead end and started the policy of Glasnost and Perestroika – transparency and reconstruction – in Eastern Europe. Wise statesmen like U.S. President George H.W. Bush trusted that a reunified Germany would no longer be a danger to peace in Europe, but a pillar of stability, a promoter of unity in Europe and a steadfast supporter of a rules-based international order, of the rule of law, democracy and of the respect of Human rights. And last, but not least, a visionary German Federal Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, seized the unique situation and momentum and achieved German reunification within less than 11 months after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The peaceful revolution in Eastern Europe and the GDR teaches us that we cannot take peace, democracy and respect for Human Rights for granted. They have to be maintained and secured continuously. Thailand was among the countries that have been and continue to be true friends and partners of the German people throughout the various stages of our history. The foundations were laid by the signing of the historic Treaty on Friendship, Trade and Shipping by H.M. King Mongkut and Count Eulenburg 156 years ago, which formally sealed bilateral relations between our two countries. And we are looking forward to continuing and driving forward Thai-German relations in all fields and to develop them to their full potential with a freely and fairly elected Thai government. Thailand and Germany enjoy a wide range of close mutual ties in all fields, notably the economy, culture, science and tourism. But most importantly it is the personal friendly and family ties between our two peoples. This solid basis will help us to jointly address the many challenges of our times, ranging from global issues such as the preservation of the environment, climate change and sustainable development to matters of managing our ageing societies and qualifying our workforces for the technical and scientific innovations that will shape the economies of the future.