To the Roles of the "Block" Parties in the Democratic Transition of the GDR Society in 1989-1990

Abstract

The article analyses the roles of so-called "block" parties of German Democratic Republic during the process of democratic transition of Eastern Germany in the years 1989-1990. While the Liberal democratic party (LDPD) and the Peasant party (DBD) had the advantage of reformist leadership, other parties were more conservative.

Except for the Christian Democrats (CDU), supported by Chancellor H. Kohl, all of the parties took only a passive role in the process of democratisaton.

Keywords

• GDR
• 1989-1990
• democratisation
• block parties
• Helmuth Kohl
• CDU
• LDPD
• DBD
• NDPD