Round Table (Germany)

Round Table (Germany). The Round Table was a central negotiating body established during the Peaceful Revolution in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Convened from December 1989 to March 1990, it brought together representatives from the old ruling SED regime, newly formed opposition groups, and established bloc parties to guide the country's transition. Its work was instrumental in preventing violence, organizing the first free elections, and drafting a new constitution, thereby paving the way for German reunification.

Historical Context and Formation

The formation of the Round Table was a direct response to the escalating political crisis within the German Democratic Republic throughout 1989, fueled by mass protests and the exodus of citizens via Hungary and the Prague Embassy. Following the forced resignation of longtime leader Erich Honecker and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the authority of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany government under Hans Modrow collapsed. Inspired by the model of the Polish Round Table Agreement, opposition groups like Neues Forum and Demokratischer Aufbruch demanded a national dialogue to avoid a violent crackdown akin to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The first session was convened on 7 December 1989 in the Dietrich Bonhoeffer House in Berlin-Mitte, with the Evangelical Church in Germany often providing neutral venues and moral authority.

Composition and Participants

The Round Table's composition was designed to balance power between the old state apparatus and emerging civil society. It initially comprised 33 members, with equal representation for three blocs: the ruling parties of the National Front (including the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and its allies like the CDU), the new opposition movements (such as Neues Forum, Demokratie Jetzt, and the Social Democratic Party in the GDR), and representatives from societal groups like the Free German Youth and the Confederation of Free German Trade Unions. Key figures included church representatives like Martin Ziegler, opposition leaders like Bärbel Bohley of Neues Forum, and politicians like Wolfgang Ullmann of Demokratie Jetzt. Observers from the West Berlin Senate and later the government of Helmut Kohl monitored proceedings.

Key Decisions and Negotiations

The Round Table assumed quasi-governmental functions, making critical decisions that dismantled the Stasi and steered the GDR toward democracy. Its most significant achievement was forcing the Modrow government to accept the dissolution of the Ministry for State Security, overseeing its breakup, and establishing the controversial Gauck Authority. It drafted a new, democratic constitution for the GDR to replace the 1968 version, though this was ultimately superseded by the process of accession to the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany. The body also set the date for the first free Volkskammer election on 18 March 1990 and established electoral rules to ensure fairness. It negotiated the structure of a transitional government, leading to the formation of the Government of National Responsibility under Hans Modrow in February 1990.

Role in the Peaceful Revolution

The Round Table was the institutional heart of the Peaceful Revolution, providing a legitimate forum for dialogue that channeled street protests into structured political negotiation. By granting opposition groups equal footing with the state, it effectively broke the Socialist Unity Party of Germany's monopoly on power and prevented a potential military intervention by the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany or the National People's Army. Its public sessions, broadcast by Deutscher Fernsehfunk, demystified governance and built public trust during a period of immense uncertainty. The process ensured that the transition, unlike the violent end of the Romanian Revolution, remained largely non-confrontational, directly influencing the course of the Two Plus Four Agreement and the subsequent unification treaty.

Legacy and Historical Assessment

The legacy of the Round Table is that of a successful, though temporary, instrument of democratic transition. Historians credit it with managing a controlled dissolution of the German Democratic Republic and creating the conditions for a smooth accession to the Federal Republic of Germany under Article 23 of the Basic Law. Its drafted constitution later influenced the joint constitutional commission of the unified Bundestag. The model inspired similar civic forums during transitions in other Eastern Bloc states. Critically, its authority waned after the March 1990 election victory of the Alliance for Germany, led by Lothar de Maizière, which shifted the focus to direct negotiations with the Government of Helmut Kohl in Bonn. The Round Table formally dissolved on 12 March 1990, its work subsumed by the democratically elected Volkskammer and the accelerating process toward German reunification. Category:German reunification Category:1990 in East Germany Category:Political history of Germany