What did East Germany officially become known as?

The German Democratic Republic, or GDR, also simply known as East Germany, was founded as a second German state on October 7, 1949 — four years after the end of World War II.

Was East Germany owned by Russia?

When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, however, Soviet troops were in complete control of eastern Germany and all of Berlin. However, on July 11, 1945, the Russian government announced that it would hand over all civilian and military control of West Berlin to British and American forces.

When did West Germany Recognise East Germany?

German Reunification Treaty The two original copies of the Unification Treaty signed on 31 August 1990. West German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble signed for the FRG and the East German State Secretary Günther Krause signed for the GDR.

How did Russia get East Germany?

Commonly described as a communist state, it described itself as a socialist “workers’ and peasants’ state”. Its territory was administered and occupied by Soviet forces following the end of World War II—the Soviet occupation zone of the Potsdam Agreement, bounded on the east by the Oder–Neisse line.

Why was East and West Germany created?

For purposes of occupation, the Americans, British, French, and Soviets divided Germany into four zones. The American, British, and French zones together made up the western two-thirds of Germany, while the Soviet zone comprised the eastern third.

Did West Germany claim East Germany?

The GDR was established in the Soviet zone while the Federal Republic of Germany, commonly referred to as West Germany, was established in the three western zones….East Germany.