Topic 2: Political Institutions in Germany

Strategy: Inquiry Chart

Activities

When using an inquiry chart to gather information, students should try to develop new questions to explore based on any conflicting or incomplete information.

The rows are for recording, in summary form, the information already known and the key ideas pulled from sources of information. The final row gives a student the opportunity to pull together the ideas into a general summary or write new questions that still need answers.

Have students read Handout #10 (Reflections on the Opening of the Border, Hendrik and Heinz Excerpts).

“Reflections on the opening of the border” Heinz, a West German teacher in his forties, December 1989

I have been particularly struck by the pictures of tens of thousands of refugees from the GDR, the cordial welcomes at border crossings and railway stations, and by the moving scenes at the opening of the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate, all of which displayed a feeling of belonging together which nobody had thought possible. Forty years of division and separation have not been able to prevent or diminish the wish for unification.

This feeling and this wish exist on both sides of the border. That this feeling of togetherness is beginning to be replaced by skepticism on this side is due to the fact that many people are beginning to realize that emotions are not sufficient to integrate new citizens.

“Reflections on the opening of the border” Hendrik, 13 years old, West Germany, December 1989

My opinion on all this is that it is no solution that all people who have a bad standard of living in the GDR come over to us. I think it is better to start from scratch than to sweep the problems under the carpet. I think it is self-centered to say: “I go west, that is better for me!” One should remove the real problems and do it together. As far as unification is concerned I think that on the one hand it would be good if people from East and West could come together again but on the other hand we will have to pay a lot of money to help people in the GDR: housing, pollution of the environment, public buildings, etc.

Post the three questions on the board that the students will explore. These are found at the top of each individual column of the Inquiry Chart

Have students review Handout #11 (Reflections of East German Teachers on Unification, July 1991).

Based on this new information, have students add, delete, or modify their thinking previously captured on the Inquiry Chart.

Ask students to respond to this question:

• How did the perception of the fall of the Berlin Wall and unification differ between West Germans and East Germans?