Topic 25 Discussion 125 The Collapse of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe

1. Introduction

a. Economies of the Eastern Block nations were stagnant

i. Debt was growing

ii. Austerity programs were unpopular

iii. Party bosses were resistant to reform

2. Poland

a. Solidarity

i. Trade union that lead the call for reform

ii. Lech Walesa emerged as the union leader

b. 1989 Free elections were held

i. Nobel Peace Prize winner Walesa was elected president in 1990

3. Hungary

a. 1988 dissolved the Communist Party

b. Replaced it with socialist and social democratic reform parties

c. Hungary opened its boarders with Austria

i. Numerous Germans fled to the west through Hungary

4. Germany

a. Honecker was strong Communist leader in East Germany

b. Embarrassed by the flood of Germans leaving through Hungary

c. Gorbachev signaled that Soviet troops would not intervene

d. Candlelight marches called for reform

e. 1989 Party members resigned

i. Accusations of corruption emerged

ii. Honecker and others were arrested

f. Berlin Wall opened and eventually was dismantled

g. Reunification took place in 1990

i. Approved by the allied powers

ii. Federal Republic of Germany was expanded

iii. Kohl was first chancellor

5. Czechoslovakia

a. Demonstrators in Prague called for the release of imprisoned dissidents

b. Vaclav Havel was imprisoned for his views

c. 350,000 demonstrators demanded reform

i. Dubcek appeared before the crowd and reforms were promised

d. Havel become the provisional leader

e. 1993 became two nations the Czech Republic and Slovakia

6. Romania

a. 1989 Ceausescu and wife led a totalitarian regime

b. Large debts were owed to the west

c. Military refused to fire on demonstrators

i. Security forces took over and hundreds were killed

d. Crowds forced the dictator to flee the capital

e. Army and security forces battled in the streets

f. Ceausescu and his wife were arrested and executed