DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik)

The Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR), or East Germany, was a communist state that existed from 1949 to 1990 in Eastern Europe. It was established after World War II, when Germany was divided between Western democracy and Eastern socialism under Soviet influence. The DDR was characterized by centralized government control, a planned economy, and restrictions on personal freedoms, including limited speech and travel. The Berlin Wall symbolized its separation from West Germany and its desire to prevent emigration. In 1990, East Germany peacefully reunified with West Germany, ending the DDR's existence and marking the end of the Cold War division of Germany.