The Curtain Rises: Eastern Europe, 1989 : 12 MONTHS THAT SHOOK THE EAST BLOC: A 1989 CALENDAR

JANUARY

Hungary

11: Parliament legalizes freedom of assembly and freedom of association.

Czechoslovakia

15-21: Thousands demonstrate for human rights on 20th anniversary of suicide by student protesting Soviet-led invasion. 800 arrested, including playwright Vaclav Havel.

Poland

18: Communist Central Committee calls for gradual legalization of banned Solidarity trade union.

FEBRUARY

Poland

6: “Round-table” talks, to negotiate nation’s future, begin between government and Solidarity union.

Hungary

11: Socialist Workers’ (Communist) Party approves creation of independent political parties.

Czechoslovakia

21: Playwright Vaclav Havel sentenced to nine months for helping instigate Jan. 15-21 demonstrations. Western nations denounce trial.

Poland

24-5: Police clash with anti-Communist demonstrators in Warsaw and other cities in worst political violence in nearly a year. Scores arrested.

MARCH

Romania

13: Retired senior officials reportedly write letter accusing President Nicolae Ceausescu of violating human rights and mismanaging economy. Signers of letter are arrested.

Hungary

15: 75,000 marchers in Budapest hear speakers call for free elections and removal of Soviet troops. Authorities do not interfere.

29: Communist Party chief Karoly Grosz says Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev pledged not to interfere with reforms in Eastern Europe.

APRIL

Poland

5: Round-table talks between government and Solidarity union end with major accords on political and economic reforms, including free elections in June and legalization of Solidarity.

18: President Wojciech Jaruzelski and Solidarity union leader Lech Walesa meet for first time since November, 1981.

Hungary

25: Soviet Union begins unilateral cutback of troops in Eastern Europe, starting with Hungary.

MAY

Czechoslovakia

1: One thousand young people stage May Day protest in Prague.

Hungary

2: Begins dismantling barbed-wire fence along border with Austria. It is first Soviet Bloc nation to open border with West.

Bulgaria

4: Leader Todor Zhivkov outlines plan to break up collective farms. He admits growing problems in food production.

Poland

5-11: 20,000 copper miners stage wildcat pay strikes. Solidarity publishes nation’s first independent, mass-circulation newspaper in four decades.

Hungary

8: Former Communist Party leader Janos Kadar, 76, is forced into retirement.

Poland

17: Parliament grants legal status to Roman Catholic Church. It is first Soviet Bloc nation to do so.

Czechoslovakia

17: Playwright Vaclav Havel is paroled six months early. Rights activist Jiri Wolf freed from prison after six years.

Hungary

21: Reformist Communists, including Politburo members Imre Pozsgay and Reszo Nyers, issue manifesto urging talks with opposition and radical economic change.

JUNE

Poland

4: Communist regime suffers humiliating defeat in nation’s first open elections in more than 40 years. Candidates endorsed by opposition Solidarity union sweep vote for Parliament.

Hungary

13: Regime and opposition factions begin formal talks on transition to multi-party system.

16: Government reburies former Premier Imre Nagy, key figure in 1956 uprising, and four aides in ceremony attended by 250,000.

Romania

19: Reports reach West that Romania is erecting barbed-wire border fence to keep citizens from fleeing. Fence soon dismantled after protests by British, Soviets.

Hungary

24: Communists create four-member collective presidency led by reformist Rezso Nyers.

JULY

Poland

4: New bicameral Parliament convenes. Solidarity’s legislators compose first formal political opposition in a Soviet Bloc government in post-World War II period.

Soviet Union

5-6: In speech to Council of Europe, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev rules out using force against East Bloc neighbors. He also tells reporters that reforms in Hungary and Poland are “their affair.”

Poland and Hungary

9-13: President Bush visits to show support for reforms.

Poland

17: Government restores diplomatic relations with Vatican that were broken by Communist regime in 1945.

July 19-Aug. 2: Communist leader Wojciech Jaruzelski elected to revamped position of president. Solidarity union rejects his call to form “grand coalition” with Communists.

AUGUST

Poland

7-17: Solidarity leader Lech Walesa proposes Solidarity-led coalition government. Talks lead to accord.

East Germany

8: It is reported that hundreds of East Germans have taken refuge in West German diplomatic missions in East Berlin, Budapest, and Prague in hopes of political asylum in West Germany.

Czechoslovakia

21: 3,000 rally for reform in Prague on anniversary of Soviet-led 1968 invasion; 370 arrested.

Bulgaria

22: Turkey effectively closes border with Bulgaria to stop flow of ethnic Turks fleeing unrest. More than 300,000 have left.

Poland

24: Solidarity activist Tadeusz Mazowiecki, 62, confirmed as prime minister. It is first known democratic transfer of power away from a ruling Communist party.

East Germany

30: Leader Erich Honecker, 77, is reported gravely ill.

SEPTEMBER

East Germany

4-5: It is reported that thousands of East Germans have traveled to Hungary, hoping to emigrate to West Germany. Outflow creates diplomatic crisis.

11-14: More than 13,000 East Germans depart Hungary for West Germany, via Austria. East Germany protests Hungary’s decision to let them go.

Poland

12: Parliament confirms 23-member coalition Cabinet that includes only four Communists.

East Germany

18, 25 and Oct. 2: Large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations break out in Leipzig. Up to 10,000 march.

Hungary

19: Regime and opposition reach accord on creating multi-party political system in 1990.

OCTOBER

East Germany

Sept. 30-Oct. 4: More than 17,000 East German refugees emigrate by train to West Germany from Czechoslovakia and Poland, after talks between Bonn and East Berlin.

3-4: Government effectively closes border with Czechoslovakia to keep citizens from fleeing, and street protests break out in Dresden. Hundreds arrested.

6-7: Nation marks 40th anniversary amid escalating protests and exodus of refugees. Visiting Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev urges reforms.

Hungary

7: Socialist Workers’ (Communist) Party renounces Marxism and embraces democratic socialism. Reformer Rezso Nyers takes over from Karoly Grosz as nation’s leader.

Poland

12: Solidarity-led government unveils program to fight inflation and create free markets to ease economic crisis.

East Germany

16: 100,000 in Leipzig call for democracy; largest unauthorized demonstration since 1953.

18: Erich Honecker ousted as nation’s leader after 18 years and replaced by Communist Politburo member Egon Krenz, 52.

Hungary

23: Nation proclaims itself a free republic, marks anniversary of 1956 uprising for first time. 80,000 celebrate at rally.

Czechoslovakia

28: Protest by 10,000 broken up by authorities.

NOVEMBER

East Germany

1-5: Government removes curbs on foreign travel. Thousands pour across Czechoslovak border.

4: One million urge reform; biggest protest in nation’s history.

7-8: Prime minister, Cabinet, Politburo quit after new protests.

9-11: Opens Berlin Wall and other borders. Hundreds of thousands pour into West Berlin.

Bulgaria

10: President Todor Zhivkov quits after 35 years; replaced by reformer Petar Mladenov.

East Germany

16-17: New Prime Minister Hans Modrow fills nearly half of Cabinet with non-Communists , announces reforms.

Czechoslovakia

17: Police brutally break up student protest in Prague.

Bulgaria

18: 50,000 rally to celebrate new government; nation’s biggest demonstration in 40 years.

Czechoslovakia

19: Civic Forum opposition group formed. 20,000 march in Prague.

20-23: Up to 250,000 march in Prague to demand free elections and ouster of Communist leaders.

24: Communist Party leader Milos Jakes quits; replaced by Karel Urbanek. Politburo, Secretariat quit. “Prague Spring” leader Alexander Dubcek cheered at rally of 300,000.

25-27500,000 rally in Prague. Two-hour general strike against Communist rule paralyzes nation.

Romania

24: Communist Party ends congress; reelects Nicolae Ceasescu as leader and rejects reform.

Hungary

26: Citizens vote to delay election of president until spring 1990; nation’s first free ballot since 1945.

Czechoslovakia

29-30: National Assembly ends leading role of Communist Party.

DECEMBER

East Germany

1: Parliament ends Communist Party’s monopoly on political power.

Soviet Union

1: President Mikhail Gorbachev praises 1968 reform movement in Czechoslovakia and says Soviet-led invasion that ended it was wrong.

U.S. and Soviet Union

2-3: Presidents Bush and Gorbachev hold shipboard summit off Malta.

East Germany

3: Egon Krenz quits as Communist Party chairman; Politburo and Central Committee quit. Panel of reformers named as party’s interim leadership. Former leader Erich Honecker ousted from party.

Czechoslovakia

3-4: Communist leaders name 16 Communists and five non-Communists to new Cabinet. 150,000 rally in Prague to protest the new government.

Bulgaria

4: 5,000 march to demand end to Communist monopoly on power.

East Germany

6: Egon Krenz quits as nation’s president. Manfred Gerlach, 61, leader of Liberal Democratic Party, appointed acting head of state; first non-Communist to hold post.

7: Communist Party meets with opposition groups for first time at “round-table.” Agrees to rewrite constitution, hold free elections by May 6, 1990.

Czechoslovakia

7: Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec quits. Civic Forum discloses proposals to make Communists a minority in government. Talks continue on forming new government.

East Germany

8: Former leader Erich Honecker and five other former Politburo members arrested on charges of corruption and misuse of office.

10: Pro-democracy lawyer Gregor Gysi, 41, elected Communist Party chairman. Party resolves to follow “democratic socialism.”

Czechoslovakia

10: Communist President Gustav Husak resigns after swearing in nation’s first non-Communist-dominated government in 41 years.

Bulgaria

10-11: 50,000 rally in Sofia to demand resignations of top Communist Party officials and an end to party’s monopoly on power. Regime promises free elections by June, 1990.