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OT history nerds: East Germany/Berlin
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:32 pm
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:32 pm
So just went down a rabbit hole about East Germany for whatever reason. The Cold War fascinates me and I always enjoy learning little nuances about it since it was before my time (b 1994).
How was east Germany leadership installed? I guess I always assumed it was Russian leadership since it was under their control. My understanding is when Germany and Berlin were divided it was generally into 4 geographic reasons. I’m sure there was some thought about where and how, but generally im sure it divided tons of people that otherwise before were very similar.
East went socialist. West went with republics and more openness.
It looks like many of the leaders were in fact German. So with the generally random separation, did they just hunt for Germans on either side sympathetic to their cause (west or east) and install them? I assume Russia didnt want just anybody running it so I have to imagine it was all cleared by them. It’s just interesting to me how the Russians forced the Germans to go along with it without at least an initial level of support in the beginning.
This goes for really any of their puppet states. Sidebar: always found it fascinating you had this hub for politics, culture, finance, etc… in West Berlin totally buried within east Germany. I’m shocked the Russians didn’t immediately close in on it and take it over early in the Cold War.
How was east Germany leadership installed? I guess I always assumed it was Russian leadership since it was under their control. My understanding is when Germany and Berlin were divided it was generally into 4 geographic reasons. I’m sure there was some thought about where and how, but generally im sure it divided tons of people that otherwise before were very similar.
East went socialist. West went with republics and more openness.
It looks like many of the leaders were in fact German. So with the generally random separation, did they just hunt for Germans on either side sympathetic to their cause (west or east) and install them? I assume Russia didnt want just anybody running it so I have to imagine it was all cleared by them. It’s just interesting to me how the Russians forced the Germans to go along with it without at least an initial level of support in the beginning.
This goes for really any of their puppet states. Sidebar: always found it fascinating you had this hub for politics, culture, finance, etc… in West Berlin totally buried within east Germany. I’m shocked the Russians didn’t immediately close in on it and take it over early in the Cold War.
25
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:36 pm to jlovel7
The separation wasn't as random as I think you think it was
That had the East zone in Germany and Berlin and those were under the administration of the Soviets
The western zone was divided up into American, British and French control and administered by them, although on both sides yes, they had Germans serve in official government positions
And until the Berlin Wall went up, people were free to move throughout the zones yes, they had to go through checkpoints, they had to have identification papers and there was a big underground economy with the black market but then the Soviets and East Germans built the Berlin Wall
But that wasn't until 1961 So there had been about 15 years that people were able to move across the boundaries but yes when the Berlin Wall went up families were split
That had the East zone in Germany and Berlin and those were under the administration of the Soviets
The western zone was divided up into American, British and French control and administered by them, although on both sides yes, they had Germans serve in official government positions
And until the Berlin Wall went up, people were free to move throughout the zones yes, they had to go through checkpoints, they had to have identification papers and there was a big underground economy with the black market but then the Soviets and East Germans built the Berlin Wall
But that wasn't until 1961 So there had been about 15 years that people were able to move across the boundaries but yes when the Berlin Wall went up families were split
This post was edited on 8/4/25 at 6:38 pm
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:37 pm to jlovel7
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:38 pm to jlovel7
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:38 pm to jlovel7
The fall of the wall was one of the most memorable things I've seen.... Never thought it would happen
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:44 pm to jlovel7
quote:
It looks like many of the leaders were in fact German
Why is that surprising? For several federal elections, the SPD and KPD (the German socialists and communists respectively) had more total votes or as many total votes as there were votes for the Nazis.
The Soviets combined the two rival parties in the aftermath of the war, and the leftist leadership that survived the war was more than willing to take power.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:45 pm to jlovel7
Adenauer (first chancellor of West Germany) was a pre-1933 elected official who got booted out by Hitler.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:48 pm to jlovel7
I have a sister(no pics) who was born in what was West Berlin while my dad was stationed there. Those were probably some tense times back then for the people living there
Posted on 8/4/25 at 6:58 pm to FredBear
Side note we need a history board. Randomly been reading about Jamestown and the Anglo Powhatan wars.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:00 pm to jlovel7
I went to East Berlin mid-80s before the fall of the wall. The difference was stark between east and west. It was eye opening.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:01 pm to jlovel7
quote:
How was east Germany leadership installed?
After the Soviet Occupation ended, the largest German communist party merged with the largest socialist party to form the SED which ran the country.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:03 pm to LSUbacchus
quote:had orgies
Jamestown
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:07 pm to jlovel7
You should watch The Lives of Others. A great film about East Germany.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:08 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
Why is that surprising? For several federal elections, the SPD and KPD (the German socialists and communists respectively) had more total votes or as many total votes as there were votes for the Nazis. The Soviets combined the two rival parties in the aftermath of the war, and the leftist leadership that survived the war was more than willing to take power.
Yeah makes sense. I assume those parties were shuttered during the nazi era? Or did they really have elections with parties?
I just wasn’t aware before of the burgeoning left wing politics of wwii era and before Germany. But makes sense given the socialist wave that swept over the world in that era.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:11 pm to jlovel7
quote:Well yes Germany did have parties with elections after the Weimar Republic was declared
Yeah makes sense. I assume those parties were shuttered during the nazi era? Or did they really have elections with parties?
and the parties that existed like the Communists that existed after World War Two weren't anything even close to the same parties in Germany
the people/politicians the situations the funding
the Nazis Politically had gotten rid of everyone else
it was the capitalists and the military who stayed out of it as much as they could
and royalty It's underestimated how much European royalty helped after World War Two with the Marshall Plan
criminanally undertold
had we placed royalty in charge of europe after World War Two we wouldn't have the problems we're having now in europe
But America the country that broke away from thee European royal family could not do that,, but some Royals did help
This post was edited on 8/4/25 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:12 pm to jlovel7
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:14 pm to jlovel7
David Hackworth, in his book "About Face" said when the Russians started building the wall, the 1/18th "Vanguards" reinforced Berlin. When they came rolling in, they were showered with ping-pong balls, all with German girls' names and phone numbers.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:15 pm to jlovel7
quote:
assume those parties were shuttered during the nazi era?
Yeah after the Enabling Act of 1933.
quote:
I just wasn’t aware before of the burgeoning left wing politics of wwii era and before Germany
It really is one of the defining features of Modern European history. The rise of the left, made up from the recently displaced peasants turned urban poor, against the landowning aristocracy, which drove many of the major events of the late 18th and 19th century. Fascism grew out of a desire to have a ‘third way’ that wasn’t communism or liberal capitalism, and in the German case, served as a big-tent movement for various militarists, monarchists, nationalists and other sundry ‘conservative’ groups who didn’t want to share power with the SPD or want communism to take hold in the country.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:23 pm to crazy4lsu
Post World War Two Germany was a great setting for some great films.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 7:26 pm to crazy4lsu
Second this
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