October 7 - East Germany is Created

This Day in History: 7 October 2020

 

7 October 1949

 

71 years ago, today, East Germany was created. This occurred less than five months after Great Britain, the United States, and France established the Federal Republic of Germany in West Germany. The Democratic Republic of Germany was proclaimed in retaliation within the Soviet occupation zone. The West criticised this as an un-autonomous Soviet creation, and Wilhelm Pieck was named as East Germany's president, with Otto Grotewohl as Prime Minister. Although the state was under the responsibility of German communist leaders, Soviet forces remained in the country throughout the Cold War. Berlin remained divided between West and East German authorities, even though it was situated within communist Germany.

 

In East Germany, the economy was centrally planned and increasingly became state-owned. Prices of housing, basic goods and services were heavily subsided and set by central government planners. It became the most successful economy in the Eastern Bloc. Emigration to the West was a significant problem as well, as many of the emigrants were educated young people and weakened the state economically. The government fortified its western borders and built the Berlin Wall to prevent this. Many people attempting to flee were killed by border guards or booby traps such as land mines. East Germany ceased to exist in 1990, when its land and people were absorbed into the democratic Federal Republic of Germany.

 

Want to find out more about the creation of East German? Click here for more information, or here for more about East Germany throughout the Cold War.