Zieloni wobec ponownego zjednoczenia Niemiec

Abstract

The period of German reunification was a very turbulent time for the Green Party. Plagued by internal conflicts and wrong decisions made during the campaign, it seemed to have come to a standstill, letting its competitors overtake it. Why did the Greens fail to take advantage of the period of German reunification, and why did the party’s East German roots have such a huge impact on its subsequent actions in the political arena? The internal war over the ideology that should guide the party in the future and the clarification of the concepts that defined the Green Party’s identity coincided with the most difficult election campaign since the party was founded. The following article touches on intra-party conflicts, the evolution of the Greens’ demands, the ifluence of key figures in shaping party strategy during the period of German reunification and relations between party branches on both sides of the Berlin Wall. It also discusses the situation of the Green Party in East Germany and West Germany before and just after reunification (i.e. after the first Bundestag elections after reunification).