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

[[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]].

==Leadership==

==Leadership==

===Ulbricht===

===Ulbricht===

Walter Ulbricht (1893-1973) was the party boss and dictator, 1950-71. When [[Adolf Hitler]] came to power in 1933, Ulbricht fled to Moscow, serving as a Comintern agent loyal to Stalin.  As the war was ending Stalin assigned him the job of designing the postwar system that would centralize all power  in the Communist Party. Ulbricht became deputy prime minister in 1949 and secretary (CEO) of the Socialist Unity (Communist) party in 1950. His harsh regime provoked an open rebellion in 1953 and a stream of refugees to West Germany, stopped only by the Berlin Wall, built in 1961. The wall prevented the exodus of talented Germans and allowed East Germany to far surpass other satellites, although remaining poverty-striken in comparison with West Germany. Ulbricht lost power in 1971, but was kept on as a nominal head of state.  He was replaced because he failed to solve growing national crises, such as the worsening economy in 1969-70, the fear of another popular uprising as had occurred in 1953, and the Kremlin's anger at Ulbricht's détente policies toward the West.

Walter Ulbricht (1893-1973) was the party boss and dictator, 1950–71. When [[Adolf Hitler]] came to power in 1933, Ulbricht fled to Moscow, serving as a Comintern agent loyal to Stalin.  As the war was ending Stalin assigned him the job of designing the postwar system that would centralize all power  in the Communist Party. Ulbricht became deputy prime minister in 1949 and secretary (CEO) of the Socialist Unity (Communist) party in 1950. His harsh regime provoked an open rebellion in 1953 and a stream of refugees to West Germany, stopped only by the Berlin Wall, built in 1961. The wall prevented the exodus of talented Germans and allowed East Germany to far surpass other satellites, although remaining poverty-striken in comparison with West Germany. Ulbricht lost power in 1971, but was kept on as a nominal head of state.  He was replaced because he failed to solve growing national crises, such as the worsening economy in 1969–70, the fear of another popular uprising as had occurred in 1953, and the Kremlin's anger at Ulbricht's détente policies toward the West.

===Honecker and Stoph ===

===Honecker and Stoph ===