Minister of Intra-German Relations
Encyclopedia
The Federal Minister of Intra-German Relations (German: Bundesminister für innerdeutsche Beziehungen) was a federal cabinet minister of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany
). The office was created under the title of Federal Minister of All-German Affairs (Bundesminister für gesamtdeutsche Fragen) in 1949, being also in charge of the German lands east of the Oder-Neisse-Line which had been put under Polish or Soviet administration. The ministry was renamed in 1969 because "All German" (or "Pan-Germanique" in French) might have evoked wrong associations. The change of the name was supported by left and right wing politician (and was no political question, other than sometimes alleged).
The ministry was abolished in 1991 when a new government was established after the general elections of December 1990, some months after German Reunification
, having supported the transition.
Since West Germany kept up exclusive mandate
for all of Germany, and the legal pretense that the authorities of the socialist German Democratic Republic
with the Soviet occupation zone (SBZ) should not be recognized, it could not handle relations to this East German government through the Foreign Office
, since this would have meant to acknowledge that the GDR was a separate country. Hence, a separate ministry for relations within Germany had to be created. Since this ministry had very limited competence and virtually no political power, it soon became a post used by chancellors to block rivals without publicly offending them. One of the main tasks of the ministry was the publication of information material about the situation in the East, as well as propaganda
geared to keep the idea of German unity alive and to discredit the East German government.
When German Reunification
became a possibility after the fall of the Berlin Wall
on November 9, 1989, the ministry was completely disempowered by Chancellor Helmut Kohl
; all intra-German affairs were now handled by the Ministry of the Interior under Wolfgang Schäuble
. Formally, the ministry continued to exist until 1991 in order to facilitate transition.
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
). The office was created under the title of Federal Minister of All-German Affairs (Bundesminister für gesamtdeutsche Fragen) in 1949, being also in charge of the German lands east of the Oder-Neisse-Line which had been put under Polish or Soviet administration. The ministry was renamed in 1969 because "All German" (or "Pan-Germanique" in French) might have evoked wrong associations. The change of the name was supported by left and right wing politician (and was no political question, other than sometimes alleged).
The ministry was abolished in 1991 when a new government was established after the general elections of December 1990, some months after German Reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, having supported the transition.
Since West Germany kept up exclusive mandate
Exclusive Mandate
An exclusive mandate is a government's assertion of its legitimate authority over a certain territory, part of which another government controls with stable, de facto sovereignty...
for all of Germany, and the legal pretense that the authorities of the socialist German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
with the Soviet occupation zone (SBZ) should not be recognized, it could not handle relations to this East German government through the Foreign Office
Foreign Office (Germany)
The Foreign Office is the foreign ministry of Germany, a federal agency responsible for both the country's foreign politics and its relationship with the European Union. From 1871 to 1919, it was led by a Foreign Secretary, and since 1919, it has been led by the Foreign Minister of Germany...
, since this would have meant to acknowledge that the GDR was a separate country. Hence, a separate ministry for relations within Germany had to be created. Since this ministry had very limited competence and virtually no political power, it soon became a post used by chancellors to block rivals without publicly offending them. One of the main tasks of the ministry was the publication of information material about the situation in the East, as well as propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
geared to keep the idea of German unity alive and to discredit the East German government.
When German Reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
became a possibility after the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
on November 9, 1989, the ministry was completely disempowered by Chancellor Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
; all intra-German affairs were now handled by the Ministry of the Interior under Wolfgang Schäuble
Wolfgang Schäuble
Wolfgang Schäuble is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union , currently serving as the Federal Minister of Finance in the Second Cabinet Merkel....
. Formally, the ministry continued to exist until 1991 in order to facilitate transition.
Ministers
- Jakob KaiserJakob KaiserJakob Kaiser was a German politician and resistance leader during World War II.Jakob Kaiser was born in the Franconian town of Hammelburg. Following in his father’s footsteps, Kaiser began a career as a bookbinder...
, 1949–1957 - Ernst Lemmer, 1957–1962
- Rainer BarzelRainer BarzelRainer Candidus Barzel was a German politician of the CDU.Born in Braunsberg, East Prussia , Barzel served as Chairman of the CDU from 1971 and 1973 and ran as the CDU's candidate for Chancellor of Germany in the 1972 federal elections, losing to Willy Brandt's SPD.The 1972 election is commonly...
, 1962–1963, first term - Erich MendeErich MendeDr. Erich Mende was a German politician of the FDP and CDU. He was the leader of FDP 1960 - 1968.-Early life:Mende was born in Gross-Strehlitz, Upper Silesia,...
, 1963–1966 - Johann Baptist GradlJohann Baptist GradlJohann Baptist Gradl was a German politician and member of the German party Christian Democratic Union....
, 1966 - Herbert WehnerHerbert WehnerHerbert Richard Wehner was a German politician. A former member of the Communist Party, he joined the Social Democrats after World War II...
, 1966–1969 - Egon Franke, 1969–1982
- Rainer BarzelRainer BarzelRainer Candidus Barzel was a German politician of the CDU.Born in Braunsberg, East Prussia , Barzel served as Chairman of the CDU from 1971 and 1973 and ran as the CDU's candidate for Chancellor of Germany in the 1972 federal elections, losing to Willy Brandt's SPD.The 1972 election is commonly...
, 1982–1983, second term - Heinrich Windelen, 1983–1987
- Dorothee WilmsDorothee WilmsDorothee Wilms is a German politician.From 1982 to 1987 she was the Federal Minister for Education and Science and from 1987 to 1991 the Federal Minister for Inner-German relations.-Education and career:...
, 1987–1991
Publications
- BMgF (Hrsg.): SBZ von A-Z, Deutscher Bundes-Verlag, Bonn, 1. bis 10. Aufl., 1953 bis 1966, ca. 500 Seiten.
- BMgF (Hrsg.): Sowjetische Auffassungen zur Deutschlandfrage 1945–1954. Dargestellt nach amtlichen Dokumenten, Deutscher Bundes-Verlag, Bonn, 1954.
- BMgF (Hrsg.): Wer ist wer in der SBZ? Ein biographisches Handbuch, Verlag für Internationalen Kulturaustausch, Berlin, 1958.
- BMgF (Hrsg.): Die Situation der Jugend im kommunistischen Herrschaftssystem der SBZ Deutschlands in Bonner Berichte aus Mittel- und Ostdeutschland, Bonn – Berlin, 1960.
- BMgF (Hrsg.): Die Bemühungen der Bundesrepublik um Wiederherstellung der Einheit Deutschlands durch gesamtdeutsche Wahlen. Dokumente und Akten. I. Teil, Oktober 1949–Oktober 1953, Deutscher Bundes-Verlag, Bonn, 1958.