Читать книгу Where in the World is the Berlin Wall?. 170 Sites around the World онлайн

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Now Gorbachev gave the Eastern bloc countries to understand that they had to manage their affairs independently in the future.

As a result, round table talks were held in Poland in February 1989 which led to the Socialist state holding its first free and democratic elections the following April. Hungary’s rapprochement with the West led to the demonstrative dismantling of the border fence with Austria on May 2^nd, 1989, and the “Iron Curtain” got its first hole. In the summer of 1989, thousands of GDR citizens gathered to leave for the West via Hungary. The Hungarian government announced the opening of the border on 10^th September 1989 and floods of people began to cross the border.⁴⁸

Since the GDR had restricted travel to Hungary, the embassies in Prague and Warsaw were occupied. As the situation in the embassies escalated dramatically, citizen’s movements and new parties began to form in the GDR. They countered the demand “We want out” with their slogan “We are staying here” in order to reform the country. Due to the increasing pressure caused by those wishing to flee, the GDR was forced to grant a right of exit to those holding out in the embassies. On 30^th September 1989, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Germany’s foreign minister, announced the right of exit to those in the embassies. The announcement was met with great joy from the people.⁴⁹ However, the GDR had reserved the right to lead the trains with the refugees through the GDR’s territory in order to be able to formally expatriate them.