Even contemporaries were aware: in 1989/90, they witnessed world history. The collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the fall of the Wall, the end of the GDR, and the reunification of Germany marked the end of an era characterized by world wars and the East-West conflict. A new age began. This book tells the story of how it all happened. Andreas Rödder presents the first historically grounded account of German reunification based on extensive source research and numerous conversations with eyewitnesses. His engaging narrative takes us into the power center of the Kremlin, where Mikhail Gorbachev initiates a reform policy that soon spirals out of control. It allows us to participate in the crisis meetings of the Honecker regime and the secret gatherings of the civil rights movement, guiding us through those dramatic days.