Spontaneous Revolution (Die Mauer Steht)

The Spontaneous Revolution began on the morning of May 5th, 2001, with protest against the Auflockerung policies of SED General Secretary Gregor Gysi and his planned transition to democracy.

By the morning of May 6th, it became clear to the General Secretary that he could no longer hold on to power. Gysi and fellow reformists - such as Lothar Bisky, Petra Pau, and Günter Schabowski - were arrested.

The Politibüro was dissolved, as was the entire SED. In its place, Hans Keßler, Minister of Defense of the GDR announced the creation of a new socialist party. In an emergency session of the Volkskammer, Keßler was unanimously declared as the the leader of the new Party of German Socialism.