The Creation of East & West Germany (Edexcel GCSE History)

The Creation of East & West Germany - Summary

In June 1948, the Soviet Union shut off the land routes in Soviet-controlled Germany, preventing Trizonia from accessing their zone in Berlin. Without supplies from Trizonia, people in West Berlin would run out of food and important resources.

The Western allies responded by flying supplies directly into West Berlin in an event known as the Berlin Airlift. For nearly a year, the Soviet Union could only watch as thousands of supplies made their way into West Berlin.

When the Berlin Blockade was officially lifted by the Soviet Union in May 1949, the Western allies quickly moved to create a separate West Germany known as the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).

A few months later, Stalin and the Soviet Union created the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in East Germany.

Neither Germany officially recognised the other until the early 1970s.

West Germany - The FRG, May 1949

• After the Soviet Union lifted the Berlin Blockade, it was clear that Germany would continue to be divided

• The members of Trizonia acted first and officially created the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in West Germany

The creation of the Federal Republic of Germany

• The city of Bonn was chosen as the capital

• West Berlin continued to be controlled by and owned by the FRG

• Stalin responded to the creation of the FRG by formally creating a new state in East Germany

East Germany - The GDR, October 1949

• Stalin responded to the creation of the FRG by formally creating a new state in East Germany known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

  

The creation of the German Democratic Republic

• East Berlin remained the capital

• Only the East recognised the GDR as a nation

• East Germany and West Germany did not recognise each other as official states until 1972

• Cold War tensions increased following the creation of both the FRG and GDR