March 19 1970
Heads of East and West Germany meet

For the first time in history, Willy Brandt and Willi Stoph, the leaders of the West and East German governments, respectively, meet at Erfurt in East Germany. Chancellor Brandt's decision to pursue Ostpolitik, or "eastern policy," was a bold reversal of the traditional West German policy that sought to isolate East Germany from the rest of the world. In 1973, the two countries granted each other full diplomatic recognition, and both were admitted into the United Nations. Brandt was awarded the 1971 Nobel Peace Prize for his work toward easing tensions between Eastern and Western Europe.