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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 to 1990.  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]].