Politik und Zeitgeschichte

Podcast Eduard Schewardnadse

Eduard Schewardnadse
As the Iron Curtain was Torn Down – Encounters and Memories
Introduction by Hans-Dietrich Genscher

The former Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union and former President of Georgia portrays his political past and his encounters with leading figures of international politics. Extremely exciting contemporary history with a clear profile.

Eduard Shevardnadze,born on 25th January 1928 in Mamati in West Georgia, active as an official in the Georgian SSR in various political bodies, became Minister of the Interior in 1964, in 1972 First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Georgian SSR. Appointed Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union in 1985, Eduard Shevardnadze supported perestroika and introduced a new foreign policy. In 1989/90, he played a decisive part in German reunification in cooperation with the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, Hans-Dietrich Genscher. In December 1990, Eduard Shevardnadze resigned from the office of Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union, becoming Foreign Minister again from 20th November until 21st December 1991, that is, until the dissolution of the USSR. In 1992 he first became Chairman of the State Council in Georgia, then later President up to his resignation in November 2003. Eduard Shevardnadze advocated membership of NATO and the orientation of Georgia towards the West.

The German edition is the basis for all translations and editions.

Presentations have been held in Frankfurt, Berlin and Tbilissi.

Frankfurt Book Fair, 10.10.2007: Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Eduard Shevardnadze

German Council on Foreign Relations - DGAP Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik, Berlin, 15.10.2007:
Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Eduard Shevardnadze

Goethe-Institute of Georgia, Tbilissi, 12.03.2008: Eduard Shevardnadze

"These records were preceded by a long life in politics, mostly successful, but sometimes also unsuccessful, a life of rising and falling, accompanied by disappointments and political resignations. I have here kept a written record of my life, at least that part of it which could arouse the interest of the readers - you can pass judgement over me, unsparingly, without any compromises."
Eduard Shevardnadze

"Anyone wanting to write about the history of those years, the decisive 80s und 90s of the last century will not be able to avoid the book by Eduard Shevardnadze. The reader will learn a lot of new things and see many well-known facts in a new light. Eduard Shevardnadze's book is his political last will and testament."
Hans-Dietrich Genscher

As the Iron Curtain was Torn Down - Encounters and Memories

Introduction by
Hans-Dietrich Genscher

Translation
Nino Sologashvili
Alexander Kartozia

2007
Hardcover, bookjacket
432 pages,
66 photos, 1 map
Retail price
EUR 29,90 (VAT 7 % incl.)

ISBN 978-3-936283-10-5

Table of contents