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Condition of Germany Post WWII

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February 11, 2018

What is the issue?

  • There are many recent political developments in German administration.Click here to know more about recent political developments in Germany
  • In this instance it is important to know about the events which separated the Germany and present state of Germany.

What is the state of Germany post WWII?

  • After WWII the Germans lost the war ceding the former Nazi power to victories allies which consists of US, UK, USSR and France.
  • As compensation for the land lost during the war Germany was divided into four zones the USSR took over the zone in the east forming German Democratic Republic (GDR).
  • UK,US, and France occupied their own zones and formed a Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).
  • The western part of the country has a liberal market but the eastern part which is controlled by USSR has socialistic principles.

What is the reason behind the construction of the Berlin wall?

  • Technically though Berlin was in USSR’s Zone, but berlin was the capital of Germany and former home to Nazi rule it held significant historical and political value.
  • For this reason berlin was divided into four zones mirroring the rest of Germany.
  • After the demarcation of the zones the communist countries of USSR restricted the trade movements between West and East Germany, created a virtual restriction known as soviet blockade which led to cold war.
  • This also made emigration restrictions by the USSR from the other half of the Germany, which led to the construction of massive border known as Inner German Border (IGB) running down the middle of the country.
  • Due to their liberal principles the West Germans were much prospered than easterners under communists, which made the movement of East Germans bypassing the boarders.
  • To completely restrict the movement of people from eastern berlin to West Berlin USSR erected 100 miles long concrete walls along the borders of GDR Berlin.
  • The wall served as a division between west and east berlin nearly for three decades from 1961-189.

What is the present status of the Germany after the division?

  • In 1989 the barrier was demolished and the borders was made opened, but problems between East and West still persist.
  • When the berlin wall fell the West Germany which flourished through liberal polices encapsulated their weaker counterpart leading to social and economic differences.
  • After the unification, due to disparities the unemployment rate in the east went very high with western part.
  • The East Germany is being to compete with already robust economy of the west, which led to many business failures and brain-drain to the west.
  • This high rate of inequalities has led to emergence of extreme right wing and neo-Nazi forces which is seen as a threat to present German administration.

 

Source: The Hindu

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