German Unification Day

German Unification Day

October 3

Unity Day celebrates the reunification of East and West Germany that took place on October 3, 1990. In setting the date of the official reunification, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl wanted to honor the historic events of November 1989, in which the government of East Germany resigned and thousands of citizens scaled the Berlin Wall and began to demolish it. He did not want to overshadow other important November observances, however, such as All Souls' Day on November 2 and Kristallnacht on November 9-10. He instead chose October 3, because the German Meteorological Association informed him that, on average, the best weather in Germany occurs on that day.
German Unity Day is observed with speeches, marches, and public events, including the government's official Unity Day celebration street festival, which draws about 300,000 people annually. Each year the location changes so that the celebration rotates among all of the German states.

CONTACTS:
German Embassy
4645 Reservoir Rd. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
202-298-4000; fax: 202-298-4249
www.germany-info.org

Celebration day: Oct 3