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two people. One year later, the same two initiated the drafting ofafriendship treaty that
was signed into force by Chancellor Helmut Kohl and President Vaclav Havel inFebruary
1992 as the Czechoslovak-German Treaty onGood Neighbourhood (Vertrag über
gute Nachbarschaft 1992). The treaty did not only confirm both states adherence to
democracy and the rule of law, as well as peace, security and cooperation, but also
stated that neither of the two countries would claim any territory from the respective
other, respecting the existing borders. Further, economic development and an improvement
of inter-regional relations were promoted and German support for Czechoslovak
accession to the European Union promised. But, the real contentious issues ofcompensation
and the legal status of the Munich treaty was not addressed (Tampke 2003: 144,
145). Whereas the Czechoslovak side claimed that Munich had not been valid from the
beginning, asithad been made without Czechoslovak participation, Germany promoted
the belief that whereas it had been valid, itwas made void byHitler’s subsequent actions.
Both could under nocircumstances accept the other position asitwould have
meant for both toopen the doors toclaims from the other side for compensation and
liability to legal charges. The compromise that was reached used the words nichtig/nullity,
both noofficial legal terms, meaning something like ‘void’ that could be
interpreted from both sides in their respective way (Tampke 2003: 134, 135, 136). Both
sticking to their respective viewpoint, itwas clearly astep towards normalization ofthe
relationship, promoting closer cooperation and outlining common priorities, but it can
hardly be seen as atrue rapprochement as it did not open upadialogue. Different opinions
were only demarcated, not reconciled, making it blatant that there were still profound
differences in the way historical events were interpreted and presented inboth
countries (Gamp 2002: 30, 31).
The Sudeten German organizations again reacted strongly, condemning the treaty and
calling for the abolition ofstill legally valid Benes decrees. They even went asfar as to
pressure the Czechoslovak government by raising the claim that its entry into the European
Union would depend onGerman acceptance hereof and therefore of the Czechoslovaks
giving in to Sudeten German demands. Czechoslovak public opinion reacted
equally negative, especially after the Sudeten German claim, with apoll showing that
by the end of 1995 only around 7%of the Czech citizens would elect aparty that was
planning on apologizing tothe expellees (Tampke 2003: 147, 148).
In an attempt tobuild on the 1992 treaty and to give new impetus to arapprochement of
German-Czech relations after thebreak-up ofthe Czechoslovak Republic into theCzech
Republic and Slovakia, in 1997 a further treaty between Germany and the Czech