Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany facts for kids

Germany's ratification of the 2+4 Treaty

The Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany is also known as the 2 + 4 Treaty. This important agreement helped bring Germany back together. It was signed by six countries on September 12, 1990.

The countries that signed were West Germany and East Germany. The other four countries were the "Wartime Allies": France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union (USSR). They signed the treaty in Moscow, which was then in the Soviet Union.

This treaty officially ended World War II. The Allies of World War II had special powers in Germany and Berlin since 1945. This treaty meant they gave up those powers.

Six countries signed the treaty, but only five officially approved it. This is because East and West Germany joined to become one country on October 3, 1990. This happened just three weeks after the treaty was signed.

What the Treaty Did

The 2 + 4 Treaty allowed East and West Germany to reunite. It helped them become one peaceful country again. Germany promised not to start wars in the future.

Germany's Promises

Germany made several important promises in the treaty:

• It agreed to limit the size of its Army, Navy, and Air force.
• It promised not to make nuclear bombs.

Foreign Troops and Borders

The treaty also set rules for foreign troops in Germany.

• The Soviet Union agreed to move all its troops out of Eastern Germany and Eastern Berlin by 1994.
• The three Western allies (France, the US, and the UK) were asked to keep their troops in Berlin until the Soviets left.
• Germany also promised that NATO troops would not move into Eastern Germany.
• Certain types of weapons were also not allowed in the East.

The treaty also officially set Germany's borders. The German government confirmed that its border agreement with Poland from 1970 would stay in place.

Germany Becomes Sovereign

On March 15, 1991, the treaty officially started. This meant Germany became fully "sovereign." Being sovereign means a country can control everything within its own territory. This included Berlin, which had been divided for many years.

Images for kids

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  Participants in the first round of talks conducted in March 1990 to negotiate the treaty

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  The signatures of the representatives of the four powers on the final treaty

See also

In Spanish: Tratado Dos más Cuatro para niños