Volume VIII – Number I
Ens. R. Jacobson, U.S. Navy
Abstract: Post-war Germany’s political evolution is far from simple. Split in the aftermath of military defeat, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic have been at the focal point of Cold War international relations. In the years following their division, both states have flourished in their own right: The Federal Republic of Germany has grown their economy to come only behind the United States and the Soviet Union, while the German Democratic Republic has become the leading trade partner to the Soviet Union, standing at the forefront of economic achievement out of the Eastern European Comecon states. But what about the relationship between the Germanies? The relationship between the two states has changed in the post-war period through the diplomacy of both Germanies and the Soviet Union. This article explains and analyzes the evolution of the political relationship between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic through three phases: The Adenauer-Erhard Period, The “Grand Coalition,” and the SPD/FDP Coalition. In breaking down the overall evolution of the relationship into three phases, this piece argues that while Ospolitik was a major factor in facilitating relations between East and West Germany, it best serves as a framework for West German relations between other socialist states.
Keywords: Cold War, Germany, Europe, Ostpolitik, Soviet Union
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