Steinmeier thanks Hungary for helping unite Germany

Commemoration events marking the 35th anniversary of the Pan-European Picnic, a gathering at the Hungarian border in 1989 that set the stage for the fall of the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain, took place in Hungary on Monday.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the town of Sopron, where the historic event took place, in the afternoon, in which he thanked Hungary for its contribution to ending the divisions in Germany and Europe.

The event was also attended by Hungary's president, Tamas Sulyok, but not by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has often called the value of European unity, as symbolized by the Picnic, into question.

What did Steinmeier say?

The Pan-European Picnic was a "milestone on the path to German reunification," Steinmeier said at a joint news conference with Sulyok. 

"Germany will always be grateful to the people of Hungary for their contribution to our unity. And as the federal president, I sincerely
say: Thank you, dear Hungarians."

The German president also called on Hungary to use its current European Union Council presidency to strengthen the bloc.

"With its EU Council presidency, Hungary plays an important role in strengthening the unity within the EU and advancing constructive and shared solutions for our common future topics," Steinmeier said. 

What happened at the Picnic?

In August 1989, the Austrian chapter of the Pan-European Movement and the newly formed Hungarian Democratic Forum jointly organized an event for August 19 in Sopron, which is located at the Austrian-Hungarian border.

The event included a symbolic opening of the border between Austria and Hungary, then still in the last throes of communist governance, aimed at allowing people from both countries to celebrate together in a foretaste of hoped-for wider European unity.

East Germans from the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) on holiday in Hungary saw publicity leaflets for the event, and almost 700 of them crossed into Austria without hindrance from border guards.

The incident was highly embarrassing to the East German government, which largely collapsed only three months later.

jsi, tj/rc (dpa, AFP)