The decision to move to Berlin

31 August 1990 - the first step

"The capital of Germany shall be Berlin. The seat of Parliament and Government shall be decided after the establishment of German unity."

Art. 2, para 1 of the Unification Treaty between the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR

20 June 1991 - the debate

"In these 40 years ... the Basic Law and the old Federal Republic of Germany, with Bonn as its provisional capital, stood for freedom, democracy and the rule of law. But as such they always stood for Germany as a whole. And the symbol of unity and freedom, of democracy and the rule of law was always, like no other city, Berlin."

Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU)

Adoption of Berlin/Bonn Act on 20 June 1991
in the provisional plenary chamber

"Our task is, firstly, to help to ensure that we overcome the division by keeping our word; secondly, to adhere as closely as possible to the decisions and promises made by the Bundestag since 1949."

Willy Brandt (SPD)

The German Bundestag decides: "The seat of the German Bundestag shall be Berlin."

10 March 1994 - the law

The German Bundestag passes the Law to Implement the Decision of the German Bundestag of 20 June 1991 on the Completion of German Unity (Berlin/Bonn Act). The law makes the decision in favour of Berlin irrevocable, and provides a secure planning base for the regions affected. The relocation of Parliament and Government is scheduled to take place between 1998 and 2000.

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