Major European Borders in 2017
History Behind the Major Border Changes
Reunification of Germany
In the year 1989, there were huge changes that took place in East Germany. These changes quickly led to the reunification of Germany. There were massive emigrations from East Germany to West Germany, and these emigrations came with demands for East German political change. Leader of the German Diplomatic Republic at the time, Erich Honecker was unable to cease the boiling civil uneasiness. Because of this, he was forced to resign from his post. A result of this was the mass exodus of people from East Germany crossing over to West through new crossing points along the Berlin Wall. This new ability to easily cross between the East and the West of Germany was a factor the greatly accelerated the reform process in East Germany. This process ended with the eventual reunification of Germany, and the destruction of the Berlin wall in 1989.
Foundation of the Ukraine
The Ukraine became an independent nation out of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In the year 1990, over 300,000 Ukraine citizens marched for their independence between the cities of Kiev and Lviv. It was formally recognized globally as a nation in the year 1991, as the march prompted the signing of a national referendum. Over 90% of Ukraine’s citizens voted in favour of the referendum to leave the Soviet Union. It was later that year that the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist with the Soviet Constitution.
Breakup of the Soviet Union
In 1991, the presidents of the Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus all singed the ‘Belavezha Accords’. This was a declaration that the Soviet Union was officially dissolved, and that in its place, a Commonwealth (Commonwealth of Independent States) would be born in its place. All of the states that previously belonged to the Soviet Union (with the exception of Georgia) agreed to, and signed, the document which abolished the former Soviet Union. It was in 1991 that then President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev resigned. He peacefully turned over office and power to Boris Yeltsin, the first president of the newly formed Russian Federation.
Background of Major National Figures
Mikhail Gorbachev was a former Soviet statesman, and the last leader of the USSR. He was the eighth and final leader of the Soviet Union, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from the period lasting between 1985 and 1991. He relinquished all power and office in his agreement to see the Soviet Union abolished.
Mikhail Gorbachev, Last Leader of the Soviet union
Erich Honecker was a German politician who served as the General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party. Honecker also was the leader of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from the year 1971 until 1989, when the Berlin wall was torn down.
Erich Honecker
Leonid Kravchuk, First President of the Ukraine
Leonid Kravchuk was a Ukrainian politician who served as the first President of Ukraine. He as in office from the year 1991, until his resignation in 1994.