How did West and East Germany reunite?

After World War II, Germany was divided into two separate states. The western zones became West Germany, a democratic country aligned with the Western Allies, while the Soviet-controlled zone became East Germany, a communist state. Although both countries shared the same history and culture, life developed differently on each side. West Germany experienced strong economic growth and higher living standards, while East Germany had a centrally planned economy with guaranteed jobs but limited political freedoms and travel restrictions.

Many East Germans moved to the West, especially through Berlin, where crossing between sectors was easier. In 1961, the East German government, supported by the Soviet Union, built the Berlin Wall to stop people from leaving. The wall became one of the most well-known symbols of the Cold War and remained in place for decades.

By the late 1980s, communist governments across Eastern Europe were weakening. Reforms introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union reduced Soviet control over its satellite states. In 1989, protests grew in East Germany and the Berlin Wall was opened, allowing people to cross freely. Within a year, East and West Germany reunited in 1990.

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