German Democratic Republic

The German Democratic Republic (GDR), also known as East Germany, was a country in Central Europe from October 7, 1949, until its reunification with West Germany on October 3, 1990. Formed from the Soviet-occupied zone after World War II, it was generally viewed as a communist state and described itself as a socialist workers' and peasants' state. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) dominated its political life. The GDR bordered the Baltic Sea, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and West Germany, with East Berlin serving as its de facto capital. Its economy was centrally planned and state-owned. Historians often describe the GDR as an authoritarian Soviet satellite state.