East Germany

:For the historical eastern German provinces, see Historical Eastern Germany

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The German Democratic Republic (GDR) (German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik), also commonly known as East Germany, was a communist state that existed from 1949 to 1990 in the former Soviet occupation zone of Germany. The German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Berlin on October 7, 1949, five weeks after the Federal Republic of Germany in western Germany. It was declared fully sovereign in 1954.

Related Topics:
German - Communist state - 1949 - 1990 - Germany - East Berlin - October 7 - Federal Republic of Germany - 1954

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Soviet troops remained based on the four-power Potsdam agreement, largely to counterbalance the U.S. presence in West Germany during the Cold War. East Germany was a member of the Warsaw Pact.

Related Topics:
Potsdam agreement - U.S. - West Germany - Cold War - Warsaw Pact

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In the first and last free elections of the GDR on March 18, 1990, the leading communist party SED lost the majority, which was guaranteed in the previous elections, in the Volkskammer (the parliament of the GDR). On August 23 the Volkskammer decided that the territory of East Germany (including East Berlin) would accede to the ambit of the basic law of the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. As a result of German reunification on that date, the German Democratic Republic ceased to exist.

Related Topics:
March 18 - 1990 - SED - Volkskammer - August 23 - Ambit - Federal Republic of Germany - October 3 - German reunification

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