Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, West, East

Monetary union: Western marks for all

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The economic, monetary and social union of West Germany and the GDR comes into force on 1 July 1990. The changes spell the end of the Eastern mark. GDR citizens finally have access to the Western mark, a long-time symbol of West German prosperity.

Adults can change up to 4,000 Eastern marks at a rate of 1:1. For pensioners the maximum is 6,000. Savings in excess of those limits will be changed at a rate of 2:1. Wages and pensions are converted 1:1, and debts are halved.

Brigitte Wnuck von Lipinski, landlady of Gittis Bierbar in Mitte, talks about the night before GDR money went out of circulation.


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  • Alexanderplatz (Deutsche Bank), 10178 Berlin
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    52.521172
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  • "Gittis Bierbar" Berlin Mitte, Brückenstraße 13, 10179 Berlin
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