"Wall peckers" in Berlin, 10 November 1989. People started tearing down the Berlin Wall on their own. Official demolition began at Potsdamer Platz in November 1989, and continued from 20 February 1990 between the Brandenburg Gate and the border post at Checkpoint Charlie.
Quelle: Bundesregierung/Uwe Rau

Verfassungsfragen

Эта статья еще не переведена русский.

There were two possible ways of uniting the GDR and West Germany into a single state: either through a new common constitution or by the GDR entering the Federal Republic. In February 1990 nearly 90% of West Germans and around 84% of East Germans supported the GDR joining the Federal Republic and adopting its Basic Law. Their attitude was confirmed by the Alliance for Germany coalition's victory in the March 1990 elections. 

However, civil rights organisations aiming at direct popular participation in political processes argued for a new, common constitution to be drafted. Alliance 90/The Greens submitted a draft constitution to the People's Chamber in April, but the other parties rejected it. They were worried it would prevent rapid unification, and criticised the social welfare proposals as financially unviable. 

In June 1990 the People's Chamber adopted ten basic principles at constitutional level, including commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the social market economy. This made it possible for the GDR to restrict its sovereign right or transfer it to Federal Republic institutions. 

CDU election rally in Leipzig, 14 March 1990. According to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law, reunification was possible simply through the entry of the East German Länder (federal states) into the Federal Republic.
Quelle: ullstein bild/Vario-Press
Banner opposing the GDR's entry to the Federal Republic at the fringes of a demonstration on 16 May 1990 in front of the Palace of the Republic, the seat of the People's Chamber, the GDR national assembly.
Quelle: Rolf Zöllner
After lively debate, in the early morning of 23 August 1990 members of the GDR parliament decided that their country should be incorporated into West Germany through the procedure provided for in Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. The resolution was passed with 294 "yes" votes to 62 "no" votes.
Quelle: picture-alliance/dpa/Michael Jung
Article 146 of the West German Basic Law allowed for a new joint constitution to be drawn up in the event of German unification. A large section of the East German civil rights movement saw this as providing for an equal role for the GDR in the unification process. In April 1990 a narrow majority in the GDR Parliament rejected a draft along these lines. In June, East and West German civil rights campaigners, politicians and intellectuals set up the "Board of Trustees for a Democratically Based Union of the German Federal States". The constitutional draft they produced, an all-German initiative, was later rejected in the German Bundestag.
Quelle: Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft/Plakatsammlung
Article 146 of the West German Basic Law allowed for a new joint constitution to be drawn up in the event of German unification. A large section of the East German civil rights movement saw this as providing for an equal role for the GDR in the unification process. In April 1990 a narrow majority in the GDR Parliament rejected a draft along these lines. In June, East and West German civil rights campaigners, politicians and intellectuals set up the "Board of Trustees for a Democratically Based Union of the German Federal States". The constitutional draft they produced, an all-German initiative, was later rejected in the German Bundestag.
Quelle: Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft/RHG_PL_686
Article 146 of the West German Basic Law allowed for a new joint constitution to be drawn up in the event of German unification. A large section of the East German civil rights movement saw this as providing for an equal role for the GDR in the unification process. In April 1990 a narrow majority in the GDR Parliament rejected a draft along these lines. In June, East and West German civil rights campaigners, politicians and intellectuals set up the "Board of Trustees for a Democratically Based Union of the German Federal States". The constitutional draft they produced, an all-German initiative, was later rejected in the German Bundestag.
Quelle: Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft
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