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[[Image:Ddr.jpg‎|thumb|200px| The GDR was a totalitarian Communist dictatorship that only lasted 40 years]]

[[Image:Ddr.jpg‎|thumb|200px| The GDR was a totalitarian Communist dictatorship that only lasted 40 years and 10 days.]]

The '''German Democratic Republic''' ('''GDR''') (German: ''Deutsche Demokratische Republik'', abbr. '''DDR'''), usually called '''East Germany''', was the [[communism|Communist]] state that controlled the eastern third of Germany (as well as most of Berlin) from 1949-90.  It had its own government and army, which were controlled by the East German Communist Party.  That party in turn was controlled by [[Moscow]], making the DDR a satellite of the [[Soviet Union]]. East Germany was the [[Cold War]] counterpart of '''[[West Germany]].''' The capital was Berlin (that is, East Berlin).

The '''German Democratic Republic''' ('''GDR''') (German: ''Deutsche Demokratische Republik'', abbr. '''DDR'''), usually called '''East Germany''', was the [[communism|Communist]] state that controlled the eastern third of Germany (as well as most of Berlin) from 1949-90.  It had its own government and army, which were controlled by the East German Communist Party.  That party in turn was controlled by [[Moscow]], making the DDR a satellite of the [[Soviet Union]]. East Germany was the [[Cold War]] counterpart of '''[[West Germany]].''' The capital was Berlin (that is, East Berlin).

The GDR was not officially recognized by non-Communist nations until after the Basic Treaty with West Germany was signed in 1972. It joined the [[United Nations|UN]] in 1973, at the same time as West Germany.  It was part of the [[Warsaw Pact]], the Communist counterpart to [[NATO]].

The GDR was not officially recognized by non-Communist nations until after the Basic Treaty with West Germany was signed in 1972. It joined the [[United Nations|UN]] in 1973, at the same time as West Germany.  It was part of the [[Warsaw Pact]], the Communist counterpart to [[NATO]].