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Hans-Dietrich Genscher, an Architect of German Reunification, Dies at 89 Hans-Dietrich Genscher, an Architect of German Reunification, Dies at 89
(about 1 hour later)
Hans-Dietrich Genscher, one of Germany’s most respected elder statesmen and a man esteemed for his efforts in breaking down international resistance to the 1990 reunification of East and West Germany, died on Thursday. He was 89.Hans-Dietrich Genscher, one of Germany’s most respected elder statesmen and a man esteemed for his efforts in breaking down international resistance to the 1990 reunification of East and West Germany, died on Thursday. He was 89.
Mr. Genscher died after suffering heart failure at his home, near Bonn, West Germany’s capital during the Cold War, his office said on Friday.Mr. Genscher died after suffering heart failure at his home, near Bonn, West Germany’s capital during the Cold War, his office said on Friday.
As the news spread, condolences poured in over social media from politicians and normal Germans, many of whom recalled Mr. Genscher’s iconic speech to thousands of East Germans who had fled to Prague that they were being granted free passage to the West. As the news spread, condolences poured in over social media, with many recalling Mr. Genscher’s historic speech to thousands of East Germans who had fled to Prague that they were being granted free passage to the West.
“Germany has lost one of its great statesmen,” Heiko Maas, Germany’s justice minister, wrote on Twitter above one of the many quotes that Mr. Genscher was known for: “It is not the law of the strong, but the strengthening of the law that best protects all states.”“Germany has lost one of its great statesmen,” Heiko Maas, Germany’s justice minister, wrote on Twitter above one of the many quotes that Mr. Genscher was known for: “It is not the law of the strong, but the strengthening of the law that best protects all states.”
As the country that he, along with former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, helped to create grew into the modern German nation and a leading European Union member, Mr. Genscher became a living political legend. As the country that Mr. Genscher and former Chancellor Helmut Kohl helped create grew into the modern German nation and became a leading member of the European Union, Mr. Genscher became a living political legend.
Widely viewed as one of the most influential voices in postwar Germany, he earned praise for his diplomatic vision and his tireless efforts to work toward a united Europe.Widely viewed as one of the most influential voices in postwar Germany, he earned praise for his diplomatic vision and his tireless efforts to work toward a united Europe.
Mr. Genscher was born in Reideburg, near Halle, in 1927, in what he called “the other part of our Fatherland,” the sector that was occupied by Soviet troops after World War II and that became Communist East Germany in 1949.Mr. Genscher was born in Reideburg, near Halle, in 1927, in what he called “the other part of our Fatherland,” the sector that was occupied by Soviet troops after World War II and that became Communist East Germany in 1949.
He left Halle in 1952 as a young lawyer to pursue his career in the West, but he returned for visits once that became possible for West Germans under retirement age in the early 1970s. He left Halle in 1952, as a young lawyer, to pursue a career in the West, but he returned for visits once that became possible for West Germans under retirement age, in the early 1970s.
He never lost hope, he said, that the East-West division could be overcome, and he saw it coming after a reform-minded Soviet leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, came to power in Moscow in 1985. He never lost hope, he said, that the East-West division would be overcome, and he said that he envisioned it coming after the reform-minded Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev came to power in Moscow in 1985.
Mr. Genscher globe-trotted over the next few years to persuade allies and antagonists alike to take Mr. Gorbachev at his word about Soviet economic change, diplomacy, arms control, and later, as Communism began to collapse across Eastern Europe in 1989, that German reunification would not pose a threat. Mr. Genscher traveled extensively over the next few years to persuade allies and antagonists alike to take Mr. Gorbachev at his word about Soviet economic change, diplomacy, arms control, and later, as communism began to collapse across Eastern Europe in 1989, that German reunification would not pose a threat.
Mr. Genscher was an opportunist, by nature and by virtue of leading a small West German pro-business, libertarian political party, the Free Democrats.Mr. Genscher was an opportunist, by nature and by virtue of leading a small West German pro-business, libertarian political party, the Free Democrats.
In his day, the party’s support determined whether Social Democrats or Christian Democrats could form a majority government in Parliament.In his day, the party’s support determined whether Social Democrats or Christian Democrats could form a majority government in Parliament.
Chancellors of both parties made him vice chancellor, and he served as foreign minister for an 18-year stretch that began in 1974, the longest term served by anyone in that office. That period included reunification, which was presided over by Mr. Kohl, a Christian Democrat, in 1990. Chancellors of both those parties made him vice chancellor, and he served as foreign minister for an 18-year stretch that began in 1974, the longest term anyone has served in that office. That period included reunification, which was presided over by Mr. Kohl, a Christian Democrat, in 1990.
“It is not very often given to a politician to turn out to be right,” Mr. Genscher said then. “Even less often it happens while he’s still alive, and yet more rarely while he’s still in office. I have the advantage of all three together.” “It is not very often given to a politician to turn out to be right,” Mr. Genscher said then. “Even less often, it happens while he’s still alive, and yet more rarely while he’s still in office. I have the advantage of all three together.”
A doughy, easily lampooned figure with a distinctly East German accent from Saxony that sounded funny to many in the western part of Germany, Mr. Genscher had a deadpan sense of humor.A doughy, easily lampooned figure with a distinctly East German accent from Saxony that sounded funny to many in the western part of Germany, Mr. Genscher had a deadpan sense of humor.
He said in 1987 that, under oath, he had been obliged to describe himself as “the greatest foreign minister of all time.” His admirers called him “Genschman,” after Superman, though he had suffered from tuberculosis as a young man and had a mild heart attack in 1989 that slowed him down, if only briefly.He said in 1987 that, under oath, he had been obliged to describe himself as “the greatest foreign minister of all time.” His admirers called him “Genschman,” after Superman, though he had suffered from tuberculosis as a young man and had a mild heart attack in 1989 that slowed him down, if only briefly.
Some skeptical diplomatic colleagues in London during the government of Margaret Thatcher and in Ronald Reagan’s administration in Washington sometimes distrusted “Genscherism” as “slippery,” though former Secretary of State George P. Shultz later wrote that Mr. Genscher had been remarkably dependable. Some skeptics in London during the government of Margaret Thatcher and in Washington under Ronald Reagan were said to have distrusted “Genscherism” as “slippery,” though former Secretary of State George P. Shultz once wrote that Mr. Genscher had been remarkably dependable.
Later, his critics said his eager recognition of independence for Croatia and Slovenia as Yugoslavia began to break up in 1991, and his pressure on European allies to do the same, had done nothing to deter the Balkan wars that left hundreds of thousands dead.Later, his critics said his eager recognition of independence for Croatia and Slovenia as Yugoslavia began to break up in 1991, and his pressure on European allies to do the same, had done nothing to deter the Balkan wars that left hundreds of thousands dead.
Mr. Genscher grew up under the Nazi dictatorship. Drafted into the army in 1945, he was held as a prisoner of war by American and later British forces, but returned to Halle for his high school diploma and law studies, which he completed in Leipzig.Mr. Genscher grew up under the Nazi dictatorship. Drafted into the army in 1945, he was held as a prisoner of war by American and later British forces, but returned to Halle for his high school diploma and law studies, which he completed in Leipzig.
In 1952, he left East Germany for Bremen in the West, where he also joined the Free Democrats. Soon he moved to Bonn to work in the party leadership and married his first wife, Luise Schweizer, in 1958.In 1952, he left East Germany for Bremen in the West, where he also joined the Free Democrats. Soon he moved to Bonn to work in the party leadership and married his first wife, Luise Schweizer, in 1958.
They divorced in 1966, a year after he won a seat in the Bundestag for the first time. In 1969, he married Barbara Schmidt, his parliamentary office secretary, who survives him, as does his daughter, Martina, from his first marriage.They divorced in 1966, a year after he won a seat in the Bundestag for the first time. In 1969, he married Barbara Schmidt, his parliamentary office secretary, who survives him, as does his daughter, Martina, from his first marriage.
The Free Democrats gave their support to Willy Brandt’s Social Democrats in Parliament in 1969, and Mr. Genscher became Interior Minister in a coalition that started a long process that sought to balance détente with Moscow without weakening West German commitment to the NATO alliance. The Free Democrats gave their support in Parliament to the Social Democrats of Willy Brandt in 1969, and Mr. Genscher became interior minister in a coalition that started a long process seeking to balance détente with Moscow without weakening West German commitment to the NATO alliance.
That laid the groundwork for treaties to open relations with East Germany and other East European countries and normalized the status of divided Berlin, until then a focal point for Cold War tensions.That laid the groundwork for treaties to open relations with East Germany and other East European countries and normalized the status of divided Berlin, until then a focal point for Cold War tensions.
The security services under Mr. Genscher were blamed for letting an East German spy serve as a close personal aide to Mr. Brandt for so long that the spy’s unmasking, in the spring of 1974, caused the chancellor’s downfall. Still, Mr. Brandt’s successor, Helmut Schmidt, made Mr. Genscher foreign minister and vice chancellor.The security services under Mr. Genscher were blamed for letting an East German spy serve as a close personal aide to Mr. Brandt for so long that the spy’s unmasking, in the spring of 1974, caused the chancellor’s downfall. Still, Mr. Brandt’s successor, Helmut Schmidt, made Mr. Genscher foreign minister and vice chancellor.
Their collaboration continued until 1982, when Mr. Genscher, then his party’s national leader, threw his support to Mr. Kohl’s Christian Democrats after Mr. Schmidt was unable to persuade his own party to support an American-led plan to install medium-range missiles in West Germany to counter a new threat from Soviet SS-20 rockets.Their collaboration continued until 1982, when Mr. Genscher, then his party’s national leader, threw his support to Mr. Kohl’s Christian Democrats after Mr. Schmidt was unable to persuade his own party to support an American-led plan to install medium-range missiles in West Germany to counter a new threat from Soviet SS-20 rockets.
Mr. Schmidt thought the political move “two-faced,” but Mr. Genscher kept both his critical government positions under Mr. Kohl. Mr. Schmidt thought the political move “two-faced,” but Mr. Genscher kept both of his crucial government positions under Mr. Kohl.
The NATO alliance weathered the storm, and Mr. Gorbachev then swept away the Soviet old guard before East Germany and the Soviet Union finally crumbled. The Atlantic alliance weathered the storm, and Mr. Gorbachev swept away the Soviet old guard before East Germany and the Soviet Union finally crumbled.
Mr. Genscher resigned from the German government in 1992, soon after his 65th birthday. Six years later, he decided to leave Parliament and returned to private legal practice and consulting, writing many commentaries on public affairs to European newspapers. Mr. Genscher resigned from the German government in 1992, soon after his 65th birthday. Six years later, he decided to leave Parliament and returned to private legal practice and consulting, writing many commentaries on public affairs in European newspapers.
But he never lost his close ties to Russia, and the ability to negotiate with its leaders. In December 2013, that skill resulted in the release of Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, formerly Russia’s wealthiest man, who spent a decade as President Vladimir V. Putin’s most prominent political prisoner, after more than two years of secret negotiations. But he never lost his close ties to Russia, and the ability to negotiate with its leaders. In December 2013, that skill resulted in the release of Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, formerly Russia’s wealthiest man, who spent a decade as President Vladimir V. Putin’s most prominent political prisoner.
Mr. Genscher viewed as a high point his success in the fall of 1989 in convincing the East German communist chief Erich Honecker, who must have known it was the beginning of the end, to give free passage to the West to 5,500 East Germans who had fled to the West German Embassy in Prague. It was, Mr. Genscher said, “the most moving hour in my political career.” Mr. Genscher viewed as a high point of his career his success, in the fall of 1989, in persuading the East German leader Erich Honecker, who must have known it was the beginning of the end, to give free passage to the West to 5,500 East Germans who had fled to the West German Embassy in Prague.
It was, Mr. Genscher said, “the most moving hour in my political career.”