The study group in front of the German Parliament

From October 14 to 20, 2009, in the inner-German border area, in Dresden, Potsdam and Berlin a study trip of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea and the Seoul ASEM Institute for International relations about the regional implications of German unification took place. The programme began with a seminar day in Kloster Banz, the educational facility of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation. Director Michael Moeslein received the group and explained not only about the 1000-year-long history of Kloster Banz, but also the tasks of civic education of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation. Dr. Christian Dorsch of the Department of Political Science of Bamberg University presented the development of German international relations after unification and Dr. Bernhard Seliger, Representative of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation in Korea, spoke about the historical development of Germany until unification. Afterwards the group had the possibility to experience the preservation of cultural heritage in the baroque pilgrimage church Vierzehnheiligen as well as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage town Bamberg.

The next day focused on the challenges of unification in the inner-German border area. In Bayreuth the group was received by the Vice governor of the provincial government of Upper Franconia, Mrs. Petra Platzgummer-Martin and was informed about the contribution of the Western border area in the process of unification. In Moedlareuth, a village divided during the Cold War with the nickname “little Berlin”, until today a wall remains visible, which makes the time of division come reality for visitors. There the group could see border installations formerly existing everywhere at the inner-German border. Afterwards Thomas Findeis of the Environmental Agency of Vogtland district explained the transformation of the death strip of the former border to the “green belt”, the largest connected biotope system in Europe.

Dresden developed to one of the most important cultural and economic centres of East Germany. There the group met in the State Parliament of the Free State of Saxony a Member of Parliament, of the CDU faction, who talked about Saxon politics after unification. In the memorial place or the Office of Federal Commissioner for inspection of Stasi record act and Files (the files of the former secret police) the role of the secret service in the East German political system and the tasks after the fall of the East German regime 1989 were explained.

The next stop in the study trip was Potsdam, where the historical rooms of the Potsdam conference were visited, which also decided the fate of Korea after World War II. In Berlin finally the group could get an insight into German parliamentary culture by visiting the German Parliament.

The Seoul ASEM Institute for International Relations under the leadership of Dr. Chang-Hoon Lee is partner of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation in the promotion of discussion of East Asian integration and the peaceful development of Northeast Asia.