Archive: The Capital City of Berlin - Documentation

On the 3 June 1992 the Federal Government at that time made the state capital resolution definite and named the government functions which would be relocated from the Rhine to the Spree. A little later, on the 25 August 1992, the "Capital City Agreement" between the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Berlin was finalised. In this agreement, the contracting parties committed themselves to working more closely and trustfully together, in order to guarantee that Berlin would be able to function as seat of the Federal Government and German Bundestag. The "economic, social, cultural and ecological needs of Berlin" should be given appropriate consideration.

The co-operation between government and Berlin, according to the "Co-operation Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Berlin Senate" from the 25 August 1992 extends to:

• the proper urban and structural residential development of areas with government-related functions and the integration of government-related facilities, including the necessary infrastructure;
• the appropriate accommodation of the constitutional bodies;
• the provision of accommodation for the members of the constitutional bodies and employees of the Federation;
• the support of foreign missions … and other institutions related to the state capital in the acquisition of suitable property for their residences and in the provision of accommodation of their employees;
• the construction and redevelopment as well as the maintenance of the necessary transportation and other technical infrastructure;
• the cultural and educational institutions appropriate to the state capital and in which the Federal Republic of Germany has a particular interest and
• the reciprocal provision of property.

Further specified in the agreement is that the contracting parties will form a Combined Commission to ensure the co-operation in establishing the ability of the state capital Berlin to function as the seat of the German Bundestag and the Federal Government.