East Germany

East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), existed from 1949 to 1990 during the Cold War. It was a socialist state aligned with the Soviet Union, formed in the wake of World War II when Germany was divided into East and West. East Germany had a planned economy and a one-party political system led by the Socialist Unity Party. The Berlin Wall, built in 1961, symbolized the division between the communist East and capitalist West. The GDR faced economic struggles and political repression, leading to widespread protests in 1989, culminating in reunification with West Germany in 1990.