The Fall of the GDR

Childs (emeritus, German politics, University of Nottingham) recounts the events leading up to the 1989 re-opening of the Berlin Wall and the re-unification of Germany in 1990. Drawing from interviews with Communist officials, their successors, Stasi officers, and dissidents, as well as Childs' own first-hand experiences during the lat days of the GDR, the book examines and evaluates the Communist regime, outlining its strengths and weaknesses and dispelling the myths surrounding its rule. It also considers the international significance of the GDR, its relationship to the Soviet Union, and the response abroad to its sudden demise. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

David Childs is a professor of German Politics at the Universtiy of Nottingham in England. He has worked on East Germany since the 1950s and has visited many times. He was a lifelong critic of the regime and has cultivated an extensive list of contacts from all walks of life during this period, including politicians, government ministers and academics.