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October
3 in German History
--------------------------------- October 3
Day of German unity. This is a national
holiday in Germany commemorating unification of the two
Germanys after 40 years of separation (1949-1989). Germany
reunited on October 3, 1990.
October 3, 1210
It is most likely that Hermann von Salza
was elected Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights on this
date. He held that office until 1239. He governed the Knights
during the crusade in Hungary and during the crusade against
the pagan Prussians which would result in the creation of
Prussia as a German land.
October 3, 1824
Birth of Harry Graf von Arnim in
Moitzelfitz, Germany (now Poland). As Prussian envoy to the
Holy See in 1864 he actively supported the bishops opposed to
the declaration of papal infallibility. Later a controversy
arose in which he was accused of stealing official documents,
was arrested and sent to prison. When he was released he fled
to France. He died in Nice, France in 1881. His case gave
rise to the "Arnim Paragraph", a law making
disclosure of official documents a criminal offense.
October 3, 1826
Death of Leonty Leontyevich Graf von
Bennigsen in Grunswick, Germany (original name Levin August
Gottlieb von Benninsen). Bennigsen joined the Russian army in
1773 and fought the Turks in 1774 and 1778. He was a Russian
officer crushing the Polish uprising in 1793. He participated
in the Russian invasion of Persia in 1796. He became the
governor of Lithuania in 1801. He fought Napoleon in 1806,
1807, and 1812. He led a Russian force against Napoleon again
at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. In 1818 he retired to his
estate near Hildesheim, Germany.
October 3, 1929
Death of Gustav Stresemann, Chancellor of
the Weimar Republic, in Berlin.
October 3, 1976
The 8th parliamentary elections of the
Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
(West Germany) are held. The CDU/CSU gets 48.6% of the vote,
the SPD 42.2%, the FDP 7.9%. A coalition government is formed
between the SPD and FDP. HelmutSchmidt (SPD) continues as
chancellor and Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP) as vice
chancellor and foreign minister.
October 3, 1988
Death of Franz Josef Strauss in Regensburg,
Germany. Strauß was elected to Bundestag in 1949 and served
as a political leader in a variety of functions until his
death in 1988. The Bavarian was one of the founders of the
Christian Social Union and the Minister-President of Bavaria
after 1978.
October 3, 1990
Reunification of Germany after 40 years of
division. East Germany becomes the Federal states of
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Thüringen and Berlin. Chancellor Kohl declares in a message
to all nations of the world that, in future only peace shall
come from Germany and that Germany makes no territorial
claims on any nation. (There had still been lack of agreement
concerning the pre 1945 territories of Pomerenia, Silesia and
East Prussia.)
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