The European Democrat Union and the Revolutionary Events in Central Europe in 1989
Year: 2017
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The European Democrat Union and the Revolutionary Events in Central Europe in 1989First, this article will explain the role of the "European Democrat Union" (EDU) within the framework of European Christian Democrats and Conservatives and its importance for the year of change 1989.Second, it will touch on a few aspects on the leading figures; third, on the promising contacts between the EDU and the Communist Party of the USSR; fourth, on the role played by the EDU in Central Europe, especially vis-à-vis the events in Poland and Hungary, which were its priorities; and finally, on the developments in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) regarding the German Question.1 I.The Origins of the European Christian Democrats and ConservativesAfter 1945, Catholic-conservative and Christian democratic people's parties played an increasingly more important role in Western Europe than before.There was no lack of new incentives nor of necessary challenges for transnational contacts and organized party cooperation.Nevertheless, the secret meetings of the "Geneva Circle" (1947-56) as well as cooperation within the "Nouvelles Equipes Internationales" (NEI), which were formed in 1947,2 up through their renaming and transformation into the "European Union of Christian Democrats" (EUCD) in 1965, were characterized by continuous debates about how far the coordination should go in both political and ideological matters.31 Due to the contribution by Michael Gehler, this chapter is-in part-a result of the FWFproject P 26439-G15 "Aktenedition:
Source: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht eBooks
Authors: Michael Gehler, Hannes Schönner
Language: German
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2755374697