The East German People's Police no longer allows East German citizens to visit the West German Permanent Representation. The DDR government thereby aims to prevent GDR citizens who wish to leave from making contact with the Federal Republic of Germany.
Wolf Biermann's denaturalisation is followed by a wave of writers, musicians and other artists leaving East Germany, including Sarah Kirsch, Manfred Krug, Eva-Marie Hagen and Nina Hagen With documenta 6, the contemporary art exhibition shows East German works for the first time. At the 8th Writers' Congress, writer Hermann Kant is elected president of the association, succeeding Anna Seghers. The congress bases its agenda on the official party motto, according which to the writer has the duty to help build a socialist society and to continue the struggle against the class enemy. Critical writers like Christa Wolf are excluded from the congress.
The West German government establishes the office of the Commissioner for the Integration of Foreign Workers and their Families. The federal government thereby responds to the trend towards permanent residence for foreign workers in Germany, which began after recruitment was ended in 1973.
The four-part US television series Holocaust is shown by German broadcaster ARD. The series initiates a new debate on how to deal with the Federal Republic of Germany’s Nazi past.
Leading decision on the use of Nazi emblems The Federal Court of Justice tightens the law. From now onwards it is an offence to sell products with Nazi symbols.
Publication of the "Kühn Memorandum" Heinz Kühn, the first commissioner for the integration of foreign workers, writes a memorandum in which he notes that the “guest workers” are in fact immigrants. It is the first time that the German government refers to Germany as a country of immigration.
The Badische Kunstverein in Karlsruhe presents the exhibition Resistance, not Accommodation - German Art in the Resistance against Fascism 1933 - 1945 It is the first exhibition that attempts to collect and exhibit German resistance art.
West Germany introduces new regulations for processing asylum cases. The primary aim is to significantly shorten the processing time in asylum applications.
