Cold War Files: All Units: Documents: Conversation between West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the leader of Polish Solidarity Lech Walesa, November 9, 1989

In this extraordinary conversation (available previously only in German), Solidarity’s leader fears the collapse of the Wall would distract West Germany’s attention - and money - to the GDR, at the time when Poland, the trail-blazer to the post-communist era in Eastern Europe, desperately needed both. "Events are moving too fast," Walesa said, and only hours later, the Wall fell, and Kohl had to cut his Poland visit short to scramble back to Berlin, thus proving Walesa’s fear correct.

19891109_talks_Kohl_solidarity.pdf