Egon Krenz "Der Kreml und die deutsche Nation" - Gorbatschow, Honecker und den Untergang der DDR

In 2007, Egon Krenz spoke with Thomas Grimm about the difficult relationship between the East German leadership and the Kremlin during the final years of German division. The conversation focuses on his recollections of Honecker, Gorbachev, and Kohl, German-German relations, the events of November 9, 1989, and the question of what role Moscow truly played in the end of the GDR. Krenz describes internal tensions between the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) and the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union), Soviet mistrust of Honecker's policies toward Germany, and his own encounter with Gorbachev shortly before the collapse of the GDR. This is a historical eyewitness account of power, trust, disappointment, and the final months of a state. An interview by Thomas Grimm from 2007. Chapter Overview 00:00 Intro 00:15 The Kremlin Protocol and Krenz's Relationship with Moscow 00:54 Studying in Moscow and the "Friendship" with the Soviet Union 01:41 How Reliable Are Gorbachev's Transcripts? 03:44 Honecker, Kohl, and the German-German-Soviet Triangular Relationship 04:26 Why Moscow Distrusted Honecker's Contact with Kohl 08:49 Gorbachev Comes to Power: A Signal for a Generational Change? 10:20 Gorbachev's First Priority: The Warsaw Pact 12:06 Kohl's Goebbels Comparison and the Cold War Between Bonn and Moscow 15:14 Weizsäcker in Moscow and the "German House" in Europe 16:29 Honecker's Visit to Bonn in 1987 — Against Moscow's Will? 20:11 Honecker's Statements on the Border and Moscow's Reaction 21:20 "We Must Not Leave West Germany to Honecker" 23:04 How Dependent Was East Germany on the Soviet Union? 24:38 Did Moscow Always View East and West Germany as One German Nation? 27:24 Soviet influence on the GDR constitution and the national question 29:39 Gorbachev at the 40th anniversary of the GDR 29:59 "He who comes too late..." — what Gorbachev really meant 32:58 Krenz becomes SED General Secretary and travels to Moscow 33:13 Gorbachev's message: "German unity is not on the agenda" 36:40 November 9: Opening of the border and Moscow's first reaction 36:58 Krenz on the "fall of the Wall" and the night the border opened 40:14 Moscow's contingency plans after the fall of the Wall 40:55 The proposal to integrate Modrow into the East German SPD 41:56 Krenz on morality, politics, and his failure 43:22 Would Krenz meet Gorbachev again? 43:30 What Krenz would ask Gorbachev today Hashtags #EgonKrenz #GDR #Gorbachev #Honecker #FalloftheWall #GermanUnity #GermanHistory #ContemporaryHistory #ColdWar #SED #SovietUnion #Kremlin #ThomasGrimm #GrimmChronicle #Eyewitnesses #Interview #1989 #TurningPoint #FRG #GDRHistory #Russia