Historical Eastern Germany

Historic Eastern Germany or Ex-German Eastern Territories are terms which can be used to describe collectively those provinces or regions east of the Oder–Neisse line which were under the administration of a unified German state from 1871 until 1945 and were recognised as part of Germany by the majority of the international community. The terms are not being used in this article to describe East Germany - the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) country.

Usage

The news media in the non-German speaking world have continued to use the term "(former) East Germany" to describe the five states that make up the old GDR region of the reunited Germany. They have done this because of the need to have a short label which their viewers and readers understand when describing the economic and social problem which have beset the region since 1990.

Related Topics:
States - Reunited - Germany

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Some Germans, often from families expelled from eastern territories of Germany, use the term "eastern Germany" or "east Germany" to refer the area east of Berlin which had large settled German-speaking communities before World War II including those east of the Oder-Neisse rivers. The same people refer to the area from Berlin to the Elbe river, or possibly slightly further west, as "middle Germany" (Mitteldeutschland). Some governmental institutions in Germany, like the state of Saxony, still use the term middle Germany when referring to their territory. This can cause confusion when translated into English because, in English since 1945, "East Germany" has referred exclusively the area of Germany of the former GDR and the 5 states which make up the same region today.

Related Topics:
Elbe - Saxony - GDR

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