History of Germany (1945–1990)

From 1945 to 1990, Germany went through a time of big changes. It started with the Berlin Declaration on June 5, 1945. This marked the end of the German Reich and the start of the Allied-occupied period in Germany. After World War II, Germany lost some of its land, and many people had to move to new places.

After the war, many people had to leave their homes. They were called foreign displaced people. This included survivors and prisoners of war.

As the Cold War began, Germany was split into two countries. The Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, was a democracy. The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was a different kind of government led by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. Later, the two Germanys joined together again on October 3, 1990, in what is called the German reunification.

Division of Germany

At the Potsdam Conference in 1945, after Germany surrendered in World War II, the Allies divided Germany into four military occupation zones. France took the southwest, the United Kingdom the northwest, the United States the south, and the Soviet Union the east. This division followed the new Poland-Germany border on the Oder-Neisse line.

The northern half of East Prussia went to the Soviet Union. The Free City of Danzig and the southern half of East Prussia became part of Poland. Many ethnic Germans had to leave these areas. Millions settled in West Germany and East Germany. This changed German politics and society for many years. The Allied Control Council was created to govern Germany, but the zones often acted separately as tensions grew.

Elimination of war potential and reparations

Denazification

Main article: Denazification

After World War II, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union worked to remove Nazi symbols and supporters from Germany. The swastika and other Nazi symbols were banned, and Germany got a new temporary flag. This happened until East and West Germany were created in 1949.

The Allies wanted to treat Germany as one nation, but they had different ideas. France wanted to keep Germany weak, and the Soviet Union wanted to take resources from Germany. These disagreements grew larger when the Cold War began.

Industrial disarmament in West Germany

Main article: Morgenthau Plan

At first, the Allies wanted to stop Germany from making weapons. They planned to close factories that could help make weapons. This idea came from a plan called the Morgenthau Plan, which suggested Germany should focus on farming instead of industry.

Germany’s steel production was cut a lot at first. Car production was also reduced. Over time, these rules were relaxed. By 1950, some factories lost equipment, and steel production was lowered. As the Cold War started, the Allies changed their minds. They thought a strong West Germany could help protect Europe, so they began to rebuild the country’s economy.

Relations with France

Germany’s area called Silesia was given to Poland, and many German people had to leave. France wanted control over an area called the Ruhr, which had lots of coal and steel. Later, West Germany agreed to share its coal and steel with other European countries.

Dismantling in East Germany

The Soviet Union took apart many factories in the part of Germany they controlled. They did this to get resources for their own country, which hurt the German economy and made people unhappy. This helped create a divide between East and West Germany.

Marshall Plan and currency reform

Main articles: Marshall Plan and Deutsche Mark

To help West Germany’s economy, the United States provided aid through the Marshall Plan. A new currency called the Deutsche Mark was introduced, which helped with money problems. The Soviet Union did not agree to this change. They blocked access to West Berlin by road and rail. The Western Allies flew in supplies to the city in an operation called the Berlin Airlift. After 11 months, the Soviets ended the blockade.

Reparations to the U.S.

The Allies took valuable German inventions and patents to help their own industries. This stopped Germany from doing new research for a while and sent many German scientists to work in the United States.

Nutritional levels

After the war, Germany had trouble getting enough food. The country had taken food from places it had occupied during the war, and now it had to rely on its own resources. For several years, German people did not get enough to eat. Food supplies were low, especially during a very cold winter in 1946–1947.

States in Germany

Main articles: Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, and Saar Protectorate

In 1947, an area called the Saar Protectorate was set up under French control. It joined West Germany in 1957 after a vote. In 1949, West Germany was created with Bonn as its capital, and East Germany was created with East Berlin as its capital. The two Germanys remained divided until reunification in 1990.

West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)

See also: West Germany

The Western Allies let West German leaders help run their country. In 1949, West Germany made rules for how the country would work, called the Basic Law. This was their constitution. The first leader, or Chancellor, was Konrad Adenauer. They chose Bonn to be the capital city.

West Germany joined groups with other countries and worked hard to grow strong. The economy got better in the 1950s. People started talking about what happened during World War II and how to help those who were hurt.

The 1960s had many changes. People spoke up about how the government worked and what West Germany should do in the world.

East Germany (German Democratic Republic)

Main article: East Germany

After World War II, the Soviet Union controlled eastern Germany. In 1946, the Social Democratic Party joined the Communist Party, forming the Socialist Unity Party (SED). In 1949, East Germany was officially created with a new constitution and government. The SED led the country as the only party.

East Germany wanted to build a socialist society. The government took control of industries and farms. Many people were unhappy with the strict rules. In 1953, protests happened when workers wanted better conditions. The government stopped the protests.

Berlin

After World War II, Berlin was where the Allied Control Council — the "Four Powers" — planned to govern Germany. In 1948, the Soviet Union stopped working with the other powers and set up a government in East Berlin. From then on, the Western Allies kept control of their parts of the city, while the people of West Berlin could choose their own leaders.

During this time, West Berlin, even though it was inside East Germany, stayed strong with help from the Western Allies and West Germany. The city held fairs, festivals, and grew its industry. After Germany reunited, Berlin became the capital of the whole country. The government moved there step by step, finishing in 1999. Today, Berlin is one of Germany's 16 states, known as a Länder.

Relations between East Germany and West Germany

Main articles: Inner German relations and Hallstein Doctrine

After World War II, West Germany and East Germany had very different governments and ways of life. West Germany, led by Chancellor Adenauer, did not recognize East Germany as a real country. Many people from East Germany tried to move to West Germany, which caused problems.

In 1961, East Germany built the Berlin Wall to stop people from leaving. The Wall became a strong symbol of the division between East and West during the Cold War.

Later, under Chancellor Willy Brandt, West Germany tried to improve relations with East Germany and other Eastern European countries. This effort, called Ostpolitik, led to important agreements between the two German states. By the 1970s, East and West Germany began to recognize each other in a limited way, and both joined the United Nations in 1973. In 1987, the leader of East Germany visited West Germany.

Aftermath

Further information: New states of Germany

Even after the two Germanys reunited in 1990, differences remained between the former East and West Germany. The eastern part took longer to recover economically and still has some different features compared to the western part.