ABSTRACT
The transformation of East Germany was unique. Instead of changing the regime within a state, it involved the disappearance of a state, the so-called German Democratic Republic (GDR). Instead of breaking up, as did the Soviet Union, GDR citizens and territory became part of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), which then had its capital in Bonn. Instead of having to create new institutions from scratch, East Germans experienced the impact of a ready-made state with democratic institutions and a market economy. German re-unification had major political implications for the whole of Europe and also for social science theories about the relative influence of culture, institutions and socio-economic differences on political attitudes. This justifies Klaus von Beyme’s (1990: 183) claim about its importance. But given what happened when Germany sought expansion earlier in the century, there were also anxieties expressed by people, such as Margaret Thatcher.
