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German Democratic Republic

The German Democratic Republic was a Socialist state, which existed from 1949 to 1990 in the Soviet Zone of occupied Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 . The German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Berlin East Berlin

East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

 on October 7, 1949 in the Soviet Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

-occupied zone of Germany, following the proclamation in May 1949 of the Federal Republic of Germany  in the zones of Germany formerly occupied by the United States, Britain and France. It claimed Berlin as its capital, although this status was disputed by the western allies, who considered the city under occupation and formally not part of any state.

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Timeline

1989   The Hungarian government opens the country's western borders to refugees from the German Democratic Republic.



Encyclopedia

The German Democratic Republic was a Socialist state, which existed from 1949 to 1990 in the Soviet Zone of occupied Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 . The German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Berlin East Berlin

East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

 on October 7, 1949 in the Soviet Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

-occupied zone of Germany, following the proclamation in May 1949 of the Federal Republic of Germany  in the zones of Germany formerly occupied by the United States, Britain and France. It claimed Berlin as its capital, although this status was disputed by the western allies, who considered the city under occupation and formally not part of any state.

The Republic was declared fully sovereign in 1955; however, Soviet troops remained based on the four-power Potsdam agreement Potsdam Conference

The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof [i] in Potsdam [i], Germany [i], from July 17 [i] to August 2 [i] ... 

. East Germany was a member of the Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact

he Warsaw Pact or Warsaw Treaty, officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mu... 

. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

 on November 9, 1989 and strong popular pressure, free elections were held on March 18, 1990, and the ruling communist party lost its majority in the Volkskammer . On August 23 the Volkskammer decided that the territory of the Republic would accede to the ambit of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany

The Basic Law is the constitution [i] Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany
... 

 on October 3, 1990. As a result of German reunification German reunification

German reunification took place on October 3 [i], 1990 [i], when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 on that date, the German Democratic Republic ceased to exist.

History

The territories of East Germany were settled by Germanic peoples Germanic peoples

The Germanic peoples are groups of people identified by their use of the Germanic languages [i] that are ... 

 during the last few centuries BC. During the post-Roman migration period Migration Period

This is an article on European migrations in the early part of the 1st millennium CE [i]. ... 

, many of these populations left for other lands, and Slavic Slavic peoples

The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European people [i]s, living mainly in Europe [i] ... 

 Wends settled in their wake. German imperial rulers conquered the area during the Middle Ages Middle Ages

The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history [i] ... 

. The newly acquired land was organised in margravates, German feudal states on the land of Slavs. Consequent waves of German settlements, which in subsequent centuries later included French Hugenots Huguenot

In the 16th [i] and 17th [i] centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to ... 

 and Jews, gradually modified the originally Slavic composition of the land, except for the small community of Sorbs Sorbs

The Sorbs are a Slavic [i] minority indigenous to the region known as Lusatia [i] in the... 

 in Lusatia Lusatia

align="center" style="background:#efefef;" colspan="2" style="border-bottom:3px solid gray;" | Lusatia
... 

, and eventually most of what is now East Germany formed a large part of the historical Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Prussia

The Kingdom of Prussia was a kingdom [i] from 1701 to 1918 and, from 1871, was the leading state of the ... 

.

In Imperial Germany German Empire

The German Empire is the name conventionally given in English [i] to the German [i] ... 

 and later during the time of the Weimar Republic Weimar Republic

The Weimar Republic is the common name for the republic that governed Germany from 1919 [i] to 1933 [i] ... 

, territory that would become East Germany was situated in the center of the state. This territory was known as "Mitteldeutschland" , while the designation "East" was reserved for provinces such as eastern Pomerania Pomerania

Pomerania is a geographical region today divided between northern Poland [i] and Germany [i] on the sout... 

, eastern Brandenburg Brandenburg

Brandenburg is one of Germany [i]'s sixteen Bundeslnder [i] . ... 

, Silesia Silesia

Silesia is a historical region in central Europe [i]. ... 

 and East East Prussia

East Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia [i] and the Free State of Prussia [i] from 1773-18 ... 

 and West Prussia. During WWII, Allied leaders decided at the Yalta Conference Yalta Conference

The Yalta Conference, sometimes called the Crimea Conference and codename [i]d the Argonaut Co ... 

 that post-war borders of Poland would be moved westward to the Oder-Neisse line Oder-Neisse line

The Oder-Neisse line has constituted the border between German Democratic Republic [i] and Poland [i] si... 

, just as Soviet borders were also moved westward into formerly Polish territory.

Discussions at Yalta and Potsdam also outlined the planned occupation and administration of post-war Germany under a four-power Allied Control Council Allied Control Council

The Allied Control Council or Allied Control Authority, known in German [i] as the ... 

, or ACC . At the end of World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

, at the Potsdam Conference Potsdam Conference

The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof [i] in Potsdam [i], Germany [i], from July 17 [i] to August 2 [i] ... 

 in 1945, four of the victorious countries France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

, the United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

, the United States and the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 decided to divide Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 into four occupation zones. Each country would control a part of Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 until its sovereignty was restored.

The Länder of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is a Bundesland [i] in northern Germany [i].
... 

, Brandenburg Brandenburg

Brandenburg is one of Germany [i]'s sixteen Bundeslnder [i] . ... 

, Sachsen Saxony

The Free State of Saxony has a land area of 18,413 km and a population of 4.3 million, the tenth-larges... 

, Sachsen-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt is one of the sixteen Bundeslnder [i] that make up the Federal Republic of Germany [i] ... 

, Thüringen Thuringia

The Republic of Thuringia lies in central Germany [i] and is among the smaller of the country's sixteen ... 

, and the eastern sector of Greater Berlin fell in the Soviet Sector of Germany, or SBZ. Soviet objections to economic and political reforms in western occupation zones led to Soviet withdrawal from the ACC in 1948 and subsequent evolution of the SBZ into East Germany. Concurrently, the western occupation zones consolidated to form West Germany .

Just as Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 was divided after the war, Berlin Berlin

Berlin is the capital [i] city and a state [i] of Germany [i]. ... 

, the former capital, of Germany was divided into four sectors. Since Berlin Berlin

Berlin is the capital [i] city and a state [i] of Germany [i]. ... 

 was entirely enclosed in the Soviet part of Germany, the areas of Berlin being held under the control of the UK, the United States and France soon became known as West Berlin West Berlin

West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

 while the Soviet sector became known as East Berlin East Berlin

East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

.

Conflict over the status of West Berlin West Berlin

West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

 led to the Berlin Airlift Berlin Blockade

[i] of the new [[Cold War]... 

. The increasing prosperity of West Germany and growing political oppression in the East led large numbers of East Germans to flee to the West.

East Germany adopted a socialist republic and became part of the Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact

he Warsaw Pact or Warsaw Treaty, officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mu... 

, while West Germany became a liberal parliamentary republic and part of NATO NATO

Aznar also proposed a strategic co-operation with India [i] and Colombia [i]. ... 

.

The first leader of East Germany was Wilhelm Pieck Wilhelm Pieck

Wilhelm Pieck
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan="2" ||}
... 

. He was the first President of the Republic. The East German Constitution defined the country as a "republic of workers and peasants."

The 1952 Stalin Note Stalin Note

The 1952 Stalin Note, a.k.a.... 

 proposed German reunification German reunification

German reunification took place on October 3 [i], 1990 [i], when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 and Superpower disengagement from Central Europe Central Europe

Central Europe is the region [i] lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern [i] ... 

 but the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 and its allies rejected the offer as they saw it as insincere.

On June 17, 1953, following a production quota increase of 10 percent for workers building East Berlin's new showcase boulevard, the Stalinallee Karl-Marx-Allee

The Karl-Marx-Allee is a monumental socialist [i] boulevard [i] built by the young GDR [i] between 1952 ... 

, demonstrations broke out in East Berlin East Berlin

East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

 and other industrial centers. Later that day, Soviet troops and tanks suppressed the demonstrations killing at least 125 .

Since the 1940s, refugees had been leaving the Soviet zone of Germany to start a new life in the west. The ongoing exodus of East Germans further strained the troubled East German economy. Although the inter-German border was largely closed by the mid-1950s , the sector borders in Berlin were relatively easy to cross. Due to the lure of a better quality of life in the West, many skilled workers crossed into the West, causing a 'brain drain' in the East. However, in the night of August 13 1961, East German troops sealed the border between West and East Berlin, and started to build the Berlin Wall Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

, literally and physically enclosing West Berlin. Travel was greatly restricted into, and out of, East Germany. The Stasi Stasi

This article is about Stasi, the secret police [i] of East Germany [i].... 

 spied extensively on the citizens to suppress dissenters through its network of 175,000 informants and 90,000 agents.

In 1971, Erich Honecker Erich Honecker

Erich Honecker was a German [i] Communist [i] politician [i] who led German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 replaced Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht

Walter Ulbricht was a German [i] communist [i] politician.... 

 in what was technically a coup, with the blessing of the USSR. East Germany was generally regarded as the most economically advanced member of the Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact

he Warsaw Pact or Warsaw Treaty, officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mu... 

. Before the 1970s, the official position of West Germany was that of the Hallstein Doctrine which involved non-recognition of East Germany. In the early 1970s, Ostpolitik Ostpolitik

Ostpolitik describes the politics of the "Change through Rapprochement" principle, - as verbalised by Egon Bahr [i] ... 

 led by Willy Brandt Willy Brandt

Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm was a German [i] politician, Chancellor [i]... 

 led to a form of mutual recognition between East and West Germany. The Treaty of Moscow , the Treaty of Warsaw , the Four Power Agreement on Berlin Four Power Agreement on Berlin

The Four Power Agreement on BerlinThe Four Power Agreement on Berlin is also known as the Berli... 

 , the Transit Agreement , and the Basic Treaty  helped to normalise relations between East and West Germany and led to both Germanies joining the United Nations United Nations

name = United Nations
Nations Unies
... 

.


Competition with the West was carried on also on an athletic level. East German athletes dominated several Olympic Olympic Games

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, are an international multi-sport event [i] taking place every four ... 

 disciplines. Of special interest was the only football match ever to occur between West and East Germany, a first round match during the 1974 World Cup 1974 FIFA World Cup

The 1974 [i] FIFA World Cup [i], the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany [i] from June 13 [i] ... 

. Though West Germany was the host and the eventual champion, East beat West 1-0.

In September 1989 Hungary Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked [i] country in Central Europe [i], ... 

 removed its border restrictions and unsealed its border and several thousand people fled East Germany by crossing the "green" border into Hungary and then on to Austria Austria

Austria is a landlocked [i] country in central Europe [i]. ... 

 and West Germany. Many others peacefully demonstrated against the ruling party, especially in the city of Leipzig. These demonstrations eventually forced the resignation of Honecker; in October he was replaced, albeit briefly, by Egon Krenz.

On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell, resulting in emotional scenes as hundreds of thousands of East Germans crossed into West Berlin and West Germany for the first time. Soon the whole authoritarian system of East Germany fell apart. Although there were some small attempts to create a permanent non-authoritarian East Germany, these were soon overwhelmed by calls for reunification with West Germany. After some negotiations , conditions for German reunification German reunification

German reunification took place on October 3 [i], 1990 [i], when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 were agreed upon. Thus, on October 3 1990 the East German population was the first from the Eastern Bloc Eastern bloc

During the Cold War [i], the term Eastern Bloc was used to refer to the Soviet Union [i] and its allies ... 

 to join the European Economic Community European Community

The European Community , most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25 [i] ... 

 as a part of the reunified Federal Republic of Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

. The East German territory was reorganized into what is now the city of Berlin and five states, reconstituting political entities that had been abolished in 1950.

To this day, there remain many differences between the former East Germany and West Germany  and thus it is still common to speak of eastern and western Germany distinctly. The Eastern German economy has struggled since German re-unification, and large subsidies are still transferred from west to east.

Politics


General

The equivalent of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union [i] was the name used by the successors of the Bolshevik [i] faction [i] ... 

, in East Germany was the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands , which along with other parties, was part of the National Front of Democratic Germany. It was created in 1946 through the merger of the Communist Party of Germany Communist Party of Germany

The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany [i] between 1918 and 1933, and a m ... 

  and the Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany

The Social Democratic Party of Germany is the oldest political party [i] of Germany [i] and also one ... 

  in the Soviet controlled zone. Following reunification, the SED was renamed the Party of Democratic Socialism .

The other political parties ran under the joint slate of the National Front, controlled by the SED, for elections to the Volkskammer, the East German Parliament. In West Germany, the KPD Communist Party of Germany

The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany [i] between 1918 and 1933, and a m ... 

 was banned in 1956. 1968 the party was refounded under the name DKP which still exists.
  • Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands , merged with the West-German CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany)

    The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is the largest conservative [i] political party [i]... 

     after reunification
  • Demokratische Bauernpartei Deutschlands . This party was of special importance because of farmers' role in the economy. The party merged with the West German CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany)

    The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is the largest conservative [i] political party [i]... 

     after reunification.
  • Liberal-Demokratische Partei Deutschlands , merged with the West German FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany)

    The Free Democratic Party is a liberal [i] political party [i] in Germany [i]. ... 

     after reunification
  • Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands , merged with the West German FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany)

    The Free Democratic Party is a liberal [i] political party [i] in Germany [i]. ... 

     after reunification.

Later nationalist found the NPD after 1989.

The Volkskammer also included representatives from the mass organisations like the Free German Youth Free German Youth

The Free German Youth was the official youth movement [i] of the German Democratic Republic [i].
... 

 , or the Free German Trade Union Federation Free German Trade Union Federation

[i]
The Free German Trade Union Federation, in German [i] Freier ... 

. In an attempt to include women in the political life of East Germany, there was even a Democratic Women's Federation of Germany with seats in the Volkskammer.

Non-parliamentary mass organisations which nevertheless played a key role in East German society included the German Gymnastics and Sports Association and People's Solidarity . Another society of note was the Society for German-Soviet Friendship Society for German-Soviet Friendship

The Society for German-Soviet Friendship was an East German [i] organisation set up to enco ... 

.

Persons of note in East Germany


Political Representatives
  • Hermann Axen, editor-in-chief of the SED paper "Neues Deutschland" 1956-1978, SED secretary for international relations 1966-1989
  • Johannes R. Becher, first minister for culture 1954-1958, wrote the lyrics of the national anthem
  • Hilde Benjamin, vice president of the supreme court 1949-1953, minister for justice 1953-1967, dubbed "red guillotine" for her relentless persecution of political opponents
  • Otto Grotewohl, Chairman of the East German SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany

    The Social Democratic Party of Germany is the oldest political party [i] of Germany [i] and also one ... 

     1945-1946; joint chairman of the SED 1946-54; Chairman of the Council of Ministers 1949-64
  • Erich Honecker Erich Honecker

    Erich Honecker was a German [i] Communist [i] politician [i] who led German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

    , General Secretary of the SED 1971-89; Chairman of the Council of State, 1976-89
  • Margot Honecker née Feist, minister for education 1963-1989
  • Heinz Keßler, minister for defence 1985-1989
  • Egon Krenz, General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party and chairman of Council of State October - December 1989, he was Honnecker's deputy and "crown prince" since 1983
  • Erich Mielke Erich Mielke

    Erich Fritz Emil Mielke, was a German [i] Communist [i]. ... 

    , Stasi Stasi

    This article is about Stasi, the secret police [i] of East Germany [i].... 

     Minister 1957-1989
  • Günter Mittag, SED secretary for economics 1962-1973, 1976-1989
  • Hans Modrow, SED district secretary for Dresden 1973-1989, last SED prime minister November 1989 - March 1990
  • Wilhelm Pieck Wilhelm Pieck

    Wilhelm Pieck

|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan="2" ||}
... 

, Chairman of the East German KPD Communist Party of Germany

The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany [i] between 1918 and 1933, and a m ... 

 1945-1946; joint chairman of the SED 1946-54; State President 1949-60
  • Günter Schabowski, SED district secretary for Berlin 1985-1989; as party spokesperson he caused the fall of the Berlin wall Berlin Wall

    The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

  • Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski, head of the department of "commercial coordination" in the ministry of foreign trade.
  • Karl Schirdewan, SED secretary 1953-1958, dismissed for "faction building"
  • Horst Sindermann, Chairman of the Council of Ministers 1973-1976; president of parliament 1976-1989
  • Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler

    Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler was an East German [i] journalist [i], propagandist [i] ... 

    , telecaster on East German television, "famous" for his propaganda programme "Der schwarze Kanal"
  • Willi Stoph, Chairman of the Council of Ministers 1964-73, 1976-89; Chairman of the Council of State, 1973-76
  • Harry Tisch, head of the Free German Trade Union Federation Free German Trade Union Federation

    [i]

The Free German Trade Union Federation, in German [i] Freier ... 

 1975-1989
  • Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht

    Walter Ulbricht was a German [i] communist [i] politician.... 

    , General Secretary of the SED 1950-71; Chairman of the Council of State, 1960-73)
  • Markus "Mischa" Wolf Markus Wolf

    Markus Johannes "Mischa" Wolf is a former head of the General Reconnaissance Administration [i], the for ... 

    , head of the GDR's intelligence department 1952-1986

Artists and Otherwise Important Persons
  • Uwe Ampler, racing cyclist
  • Manfred von Ardenne, physicist and inventor
  • Rudolf Bahro, journalist and poltician
  • Michael Ballack Michael Ballack

    Michael Ballack is a German [i] football [i] player. ... 

    , captain of Germany national football team Germany national football team

    The German national football team represents the German Football Association [i] in international football [i] ... 

  • Jurek Becker, writer
  • Benno Besson Benno Besson

    Benno Besson was a Swiss [i] actor [i] and film director [i].

... 

, dramitist, actor and director, pupil of Bertolt Brecht and one of the most important directors of German language of this time
  • Frank Beyer, film director
  • Wolf Biermann Wolf Biermann

    Wolf Biermann is a German [i] Liedermacher [i] and former East German [i] dissiden... 

    , singer/songwriter and dissident, citizenship withdrawn in 1976 when he was on tour in West Germany
  • Ibrahim Böhme, first chairman of the East German Social Democrats Social Democratic Party of Germany

    The Social Democratic Party of Germany is the oldest political party [i] of Germany [i] and also one ... 

     in 1989-1990, resigned after being detected as a former Stasi informer
  • Bärbel Bohley, painter
  • Thomas Brasch, writer, poet and dramatist
  • Bertolt Brecht Bertolt Brecht

    Bertolt Brecht was an influential German [i] socialist [i] drama [i]tist, stage director [i] ... 

    , dramatist, poet and director, reopened the "Berliner Ensemble" in 1949, important person of Communistic Exile and Resistance
  • Rainer Eppelmann, Protestant pastor, minister for defence and disarmament March - October 1990
  • Klaus Fuchs Klaus Fuchs

    Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs was a German [i]-born theoretical physicist [i] and... 

    , physicist
  • Erwin Geschonneck, actor
  • Gregor Gysi Gregor Gysi

    Gregor Gysi is a German [i] politician of the Left Party [i]. ... 

    , lawyer to artists, chairman of the SED/PDS November 1989 - 1998
  • Nina Hagen Nina Hagen

    Nina Hagen is a singer from Berlin [i], Germany [i].... 

    , punk singer
  • Peter Hacks, dramitist
  • Wolfgang Harich, intellectual sentenced to prison for counterrevolutionary activities
  • Robert Havemann, chemist and intellectual critic of government, communistic resistance fighter in World War 2
  • Johnny Heartfield John Heartfield

    John Heartfield is the anglicized [i] name of the German [i] photomontage [i] arti ... 

    , photographer
  • Bernhard Heisig, painter
  • Henry Hübchen, actor
  • Walter Janka, publisher, sentenced to prison in 1957 for "counterrevolutionary activities", communistic resistance fighter in World War 2
  • Gustav Just, journalist
  • Uwe Kraab, racing cyclist
  • Manfred Krug, actor and jazz singer
  • Till Lindemann Till Lindemann

    [i] musician who is most notable as being the [[vocals|lead-vocalist]... 

    , singer
  • Olaf Ludwig, racing cyclist
  • Lothar de Maizière, first freely elected prime minister April - October 1990
  • Wolfgang Mattheuer, painter
  • Markus Meckel, Protestant pastor, deputy chairman of the East German Social Democrats 1989-1990, GDR foreign minister April - August 1990
  • Armin Mueller-Stahl Armin Mueller-Stahl

    Armin Mueller-Stahl is a German [i] film actor. ... 

    , actor
  • Heiner Müller Heiner Müller

    Heiner Mller was an East German [i] dramatist and writer.

... 

, writer and dramatist, worked with the director Benno Besson at Volksbühne Volksbühne

The Volksbhne is a theatre [i] in Berlin [i], Germany [i]. ... 


  • Wolfgang Schnur, lawyer to dissidents, opposition politician *Erwin Strittmatter, writer
  • Werner Tübke, painter
  • Katarina Witt Katarina Witt

    Katarina Witt is a German [i] figure skater [i], in Germany commonly affectionate... 

    , figure skater
  • Christa Wolf, writer
  • Sigmund Jähn Sigmund Jähn

    Sigmund Werner Paul Jhn was the first German [i] cosmonaut [i].

... 

, cosmonaut

Subdivisions


In 1952, as part of the reforms designed to centralise power in the hands of the SED's Politbüro, the five Länder States of Germany

Germany [i] is a Federal Republic [i] made up of 16 States [i], known in German [i]... 

of East Germany were abolished, and East Germany was divided into fifteen Bezirke , each named after the largest city: the northern Land Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is a Bundesland [i] in northern Germany [i].
... 

 was divided between the Bezirke Rostock Rostock

Rostock is a city [i] in northern Germany [i]. ... 

, Schwerin and Neubrandenburg; Brandenburg Brandenburg

Brandenburg is one of Germany [i]'s sixteen Bundeslnder [i] . ... 

  was reorganised into the Bezirke of Potsdam Potsdam

[i] in [[Germany]... 

, Frankfurt Frankfurt

For the capital of the U.S.... 

 and Cottbus; Sachsen-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt is one of the sixteen Bundeslnder [i] that make up the Federal Republic of Germany [i] ... 

 split into the Bezirke of Halle Halle, Saxony-Anhalt

[i] of [[Saxony-Anhalt]... 

 and Magdeburg Magdeburg

Magdeburg, the capital city [i] of the Bundesland [i] of Saxony-Anhalt [i], Germany [i] ... 

; the south-western Land Thüringen was unpicked to produce the Bezirke of Erfurt Erfurt

Erfurt is a city in central Germany [i]. ... 

, Gera and Suhl; finally, the south-eastern Land Sachsen was divided between Leipzig Leipzig

Leipzig [] is the largest city in the federal state [i] of Saxony [i] in Germany [i] ... 

, Dresden Dresden

Dresden is the capital city [i] of the German [i] Federal State of Saxony [i] and situated in a ... 

 and Karl-Marx-Stadt Chemnitz

Chemnitz is a city in Saxony [i], Germany [i]. ... 


Economy



Like other East Europe Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the east [i]ern region [i] of Europe [i] variably defined. ... 

an socialist states, East Germany had a centrally planned economy , similar to the one in the former Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

, in contrast to the market economies or mixed economies Mixed economy

A mixed economy is an economy [i] that has a mix of economic systems. ... 

 of most Western states. The state established production targets and prices and allocated resources, codifying these decisions in a comprehensive plan or set of plans. The means of production were almost entirely state owned. In 1985, for example, state-owned enterprises or collectives earned 96.7 percent of total net national income. To secure constant prices for inhabitants, the state bore 80% of costs of basic supplies, from bread to housing.

The ultimate directing force in the economy, as in every aspect of the society, was the Socialist Unity Party of Germany Socialist Unity Party of Germany

The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of East Germany [i] from its formation in ... 

 , particularly its top leadership. The party exercised its leadership role formally during the party congress, when it accepted the report of the general secretary, and when it adopted the draft plan for the upcoming five-year period.

The private sector of the economy was small but not entirely insignificant. In 1985 about 2.8 percent of the net national product came from private enterprises. The private sector included private farmers and gardeners; independent craftsmen, wholesalers, and retailers; and individuals employed in so-called free-lance activities . Although self-employed, such individuals were strictly regulated. In 1985, for the first time in many years, the number of individuals working in the private sector increased slightly. According to East German statistics, in 1985 there were about 176,800 private entrepreneurs, an increase of about 500 over 1984. Certain private sector activities were quite important to the system. The SED leadership, for example, had been encouraging private initiative as part of the effort to upgrade consumer services.

Culture


Music

For ideological reasons artists were expected to sing songs only in German at first, which changed with the end of the sixties. This seemed a logical constraint by the Party leaders but it was rather unpopular among young people. There were strict rules that regulated that all artistic activity ought to be censored for any open or implied anti-socialist tendencies. The band Renft, for example, was prone to political misbehaviour, which eventually led to its split.

The Puhdys Puhdys

Die Puhdys are a veteran German [i] rock band [i], formed in Oranienburg [i], in what was then East Germany [i] ... 

 and Karat were some of the most popular mainstream bands, managing to hint at critical thoughts in their lyrics without being explicit. Like most mainstream acts, they appeared in popular youth magazines such as Neues Leben and Magazin. Other popular rock bands were Wir WIR Bank

The WIR Bank, formerly the Swiss Economic Circle, or WIR, is an independent complementary currency [i] ... 

 and Dean Reed Dean Reed

Dean Cyril Reed was an American [i] actor, singer and songwriter who lived much of his adu ... 

.

Influences from the West were heard everywhere, because TV and radio that came from the Klassenfeind could be received in many parts of the East, too . The Western influence led to the formation of more "underground" groups with a decisively western-oriented sound. A few of these bands were Die Skeptiker, as well as Feeling B Feeling B

Feeling B was one of the first punk [i] bands in the former German Democratic Republic [i].
... 

.

Classical music was highly supported, so that there existed over 50 classical symphony orchestras in a country with a population about 16 million.
See also:
  • Thomanerchor Leipzig Leipzig

    Leipzig [] is the largest city in the federal state [i] of Saxony [i] in Germany [i] ... 

  • Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden Dresden

    Dresden is the capital city [i] of the German [i] Federal State of Saxony [i] and situated in a ... 

  • Berliner Sinfonie Orchester
  • Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin State Opera

    Berlin State Opera is a prominent German [i] opera [i] company. ... 

     Berlin


Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a prolific German [i] composer [i] and organist [i] whose sac ... 

 was born in East German territory and his birthplace in Eisenach Eisenach

Eisenach is a city in Thuringia [i], Germany [i]. ... 

 was turned into a museum of his life, which, among other things, included more than 300 instruments from Bach's life. In 1980 this museum was receiving more than 70,000 visitors annually.

In Leipzig, an enormous archive with recordings of all of Bach's music was compiled, along with many historical documents and letters both to and from him.

Every other year, school children from across East Germany gathered for a Bach competition held in East Berlin. Every four years an international Bach competition for keyboard and strings was held.

The birthplace of Martin Luther Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German [i] monk [i], priest [i], professor [i], theologian [i]... 

 and the houses of Goethe Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe, , later von Goethe, was a German [i] polymath [i]: he was a poet [i] ... 

 and Schiller Friedrich Schiller

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller , usually known as Friedrich Schiller, was a German [i] ... 

 were also turned into museums. There were over 300 such folk museums in the GDR.

Theatre

East German theatre was in the beginning strongly dominated by Bertolt Brecht, who brought back a lot of artists from antifascist resistance and reopened Theater am Schiffbauerdamm with his Berliner Ensemble Berliner Ensemble

The Berliner Ensemble was a German [i] theatre [i] company established by playwright [i], Bertolt Brecht [i]... 

. On the other side, some streams tried to establish pure workers theater, played by workers with plays about workers.

After Brecht died, there were a lot of conflicts beetween the artists and his family about the heritage of Brecht. Heinz Kahlau, Slatan Dudow, Erwin Geschonneck, Erwin Strittmatter, Peter Hacks, Benno Besson Benno Besson

Benno Besson was a Swiss [i] actor [i] and film director [i].
... 

, Peter Palitzsch and Ekkehard Schall are counted among Bertolt Brecht's scholars and followers.

In the 1950s the Swiss Benno Besson Benno Besson

Benno Besson was a Swiss [i] actor [i] and film director [i].
... 

 had success with "The Dragon" by Jewgenij Schwarz, so that he travelled with Deutsches Theater all-around Europe and Asia . He became the Intendant at Volksbühne Volksbühne

The Volksbhne is a theatre [i] in Berlin [i], Germany [i]. ... 

 in the 1960s and worked often with Heiner Müller Heiner Müller

Heiner Mller was an East German [i] dramatist and writer.
... 

.

Because of censorship a lot of artists left the GDR from 1975. A parallel development was that some artists went to small-city theaters, to create theater beyond Berlin. For example Peter Sodann founded the neues theater in Halle/Saale Halle, Saxony-Anhalt

[i] of [[Saxony-Anhalt]... 

 and Frank Castorf was at theater Anklam.

Theatre and Cabaret had a very important status in the GDR for the people and so it was a very active and movable scene, which was reason for its contention with the state. Benno Besson said once about that: "At least they took us serious, we had a bearing."

Important theatres:
  • Deutsches Theater 
  • Berliner Ensemble Berliner Ensemble

    The Berliner Ensemble was a German [i] theatre [i] company established by playwright [i], Bertolt Brecht [i]... 

     
  • Volksbühne Volksbühne

    The Volksbhne is a theatre [i] in Berlin [i], Germany [i]. ... 

     
  • Maxim Gorki Theater 

Cinema

In the GDR, the movie industry was very active. The head-group for film-productions was the DEFA Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft

Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft, better known as DEFA, was the state film monopoly [i] in the German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 , Deutsche Film AG, which was subdivided in different local groups, for example Gruppe Berlin, Gruppe Babelsberg or Gruppe Johannisthal, where the local teams shot and produced films. Besides folksy movies, the movie-industry became known worldwide for its productions, especially children movies .

Movies about persecution of Jews in Third Reich like "Jakob der Lügner" and the resistance against fascism "Fünf Patronenhülsen" became internationally famous.

Also movies about the problems in daily life like "Die Legende von Paul und Paula" or "Solo Sunny" were very popular.

The film industry was remarkable for its production of westerns Ostern

The Ostern or Red Western was the Soviet Union [i] and Iron Curtain [i] countries' take on the Western movie [i] ... 

, in which the Indians Native Americans in the United States

American Indian and Alaskan NativesU.S. state [i]s and several of the inhabited insular areas [i] that a ... 

 often took the role of displaced people, who fight for their rights, in contrast with the American western, in which they are often not mentioned or play the villains. Gojko Mitic is the most famous actor in this part, often playing the righteous, kindhearted and charming chief . He became honorary chief of the tribe of Sioux Sioux

The Sioux are a Native American [i] people. ... 

, when he visited the United States of America United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 in the 90s, and the television-team accompanying him showed the tribe one his movies.
It was part of a phenomenon of Europe producing alternative films about the colonization of America, see also Spaghetti Western Spaghetti Western

Spaghetti Westerns is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western film [i] that emerged in the mid-1960s [i] ... 

 and the West German Winnetou Winnetou

Winnetou is the American-Indian hero of several novels written by Karl May [i], in German [i] ... 

 films .

Because of censorship a certain number of very remarkable movies were forbidden at this time and reissued after the Wende German reunification

German reunification took place on October 3 [i], 1990 [i], when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic [i] ... 

 in 1990. Examples are "Spur der Steine" and "Der geteilte Himmel" .

In cinemas of the GDR, not only own productions were shown. Besides the Czech, Polish a.s.o. productions also certain foreign movies were shown, but the numbers were limited because it did cost foreign exchange to buy the licences. Certainly movies representing or glorifying capitalistic ideology were not bought. So, for example "Grease" was not shown, but "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" was. Comedies enjoyed great popularity, such as the Danish "Olsen Gang Olsen Gang

The Olsen Gang is a fictional [i] Danish [i] criminal gang [i] in the movie [i]s of the sam ... 

" or movies with the French comedian Louis de Funès Louis de Funès

Louis de Funs de Galarza was a French [i] actor [i] who is considered by many to be one of the gi... 

.

Sports

For a small country, people of East Germany achieved some remarkable results in many sports including cycling, weightlifting, track and field, boxing, skating and other winter sports.
One reason for the success was started with late 1960s leadership of Dr. Manfred Hoeppner, when his policy of steroid Steroid

A steroid is a lipid [i] characterized by a carbon [i] skeleton with four fused rings. ... 

 administration to many athletes was established. This program allowed East Germany, with its small population, to become a world leader in the following two decades, winning a large number of Olympic Olympic Games

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, are an international multi-sport event [i] taking place every four ... 

 and world gold medals and records. This success continued even after the international steroid testing policy was established, thanks to the advanced use of chemicals that made steroids detection avoidance possible.

An even much more important reason for the success was the furtherance-system for young people in GDR. When some children were aged around 6 until 10 years old sport-teachers at school were encouraged to look for certain talents in every pupil. For older pupils it was possible to attend grammar-schools with a focus on sports . This policy was also used for talented pupils with regard to music or mathematics.

Sports clubs were highly supported, especially sports in which it was possible to get international fame. For example the major leagues for ice hockey and basketball just included each 2 teams . Although the East German football national team was rarely successful in comparison to the West German national team, which won the world championship FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the football World Cup or the soccer World Cup, but usu... 

 in 1990 shortly before the reunification, football was the second-most popular sport after handball Team handball

Handball is a team sport [i] where two teams of seven players each pass and bounce a ball trying to th ... 

. A lot of East German players became integral parts of the reunified national football team, for example Matthias Sammer. Other sports enjoyed great popularity like figure skating, especially because of sportswomen like Katharina Witt Katarina Witt

Katarina Witt is a German [i] figure skater [i], in Germany commonly affectionate... 

.

One of the reasons for the East German ambition to be so successful in world sports, was on the one hand similar to those of the USSR Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 or the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 as a part of this certain kind of competition. On the other hand it was an attempt to be accepted internationally as a state in its own right.

References

  • Thomas A. Baylis, David Childs, and Marilyn Rueschemeyer, eds.; East Germany in Comparative Perspective Routledge. 1989
  • Fulbrook, Mary. The People's State: East German Society from Hitler to Honecker Yale University Press, 2005. 352 pp. ISBN 0-300-10884-2.
  • Fulbrook; Mary. Anatomy of a Dictatorship: Inside the GDR, 1949-1989 Oxford University Press, 1995
  • William Glenn Gray; Germany's Cold War: The Global Campaign to Isolate East Germany, 1949-1969 University of North Carolina Press. 2003
  • Jonathan Grix; The Role of the Masses in the Collapse of the GDR Macmillan, 2000
  • Konrad H. Jarausch and Eve Duffy; Dictatorship as Experience: Towards a Socio-Cultural History of the GDR Berghahn Books, 1999

Holidays

Date English Name German Name Remarks
January 1 New Year's Day New Year's Day

New Year's Day is the first day of the year [i], in the Gregorian calendar [i]. ... 

Neujahr  
March 8 Women's Day International Women's Day

International Women's Day is marked on 8 March [i] every year. ... 

Tag der Frau  
Moveable feast Good Friday Good Friday

Good Friday is a holy day [i] celebrated by most Christians [i] on the Frid ... 

Karfreitag  
Moveable feast Easter Sunday Easter

Easter, also known as Pascha , the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrect... 

Ostersonntag  
Moveable feast Easter Monday Easter Monday

Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday [i] and is celebrated as a holiday [i] in some larg ... 

Ostermontag  
May 1 May Day Tag der Arbeit Labour Day
Moveable feast Father's Day / Ascension Day Vatertag / Christi Himmelfahrt Thursday after the 5th Sunday after Easter Easter

Easter, also known as Pascha , the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrect... 

. Was not an official Holiday in the GDR.
Moveable feast Whitmonday Pentecost

Pentecost or Pentecost Sunday is a feast [i] on the Christian [i] liturgical calendar [i] ... 

Pfingstmontag 50 days after Easter Sunday
October 7 Republic Day Tag der Republik National holiday
December 25 First Day of Christmas Christmas

Christmas is a holiday [i] on the Christian [i] calendar, celebrating the birth of Jesus [i]. ... 

1. Weihnachtsfeiertag  
December 26 Second Day of Christmas 2. Weihnachtsfeiertag  

See also

Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 


  • West Germany
  • History of Germany since 1945 History of Germany since 1945

    Following Germany [i]'s defeat in World War II [i] and the beginning of the Cold War [i], Germany was split fo ... 

  • History of East Germany History of the German Democratic Republic

    The German Democratic Republic [i], German [i]: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, oft ... 

  • Leaders of East Germany
  • Berlin Berlin

    Berlin is the capital [i] city and a state [i] of Germany [i]. ... 

  • East Berlin East Berlin

    East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

  • West Berlin West Berlin

    West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

  • Ministerrat Ministerrat

    The Ministerrat was the chief executive body of the East Germany [i] since November 1950 until East Germ ... 




Forces

! Coat of arms
|- style="background: #ffffff;" align="center"
... 


  • Luftstreitkräfte der NVA Luftstreitkräfte der NVA

    ... 

  • Stasi Stasi

    This article is about Stasi, the secret police [i] of East Germany [i].... 

  • Volkspolizei Volkspolizei

    The Volkspolizei was the national police [i] of the German Democratic Republic [i], whose officers w ... 

  • Conscientious objection in East Germany


Media