Despite the merger, the economic gap between East and West Germany is not small. The former West Germany subsidizes the former East Germany by about 50 billion euros every year.
1May 8, 945 Hitler surrendered unconditionally. According to the Crimean Declaration and the Potsdam Agreement, defeated Germany should become a unified, independent, peace-loving and democratic country. Before the emergence of such a country, Germany was temporarily occupied by the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain and France, and the capital Berlin was also divided and controlled by the four countries.
Because of the different positions, purposes and interests of the East-West alliance, all the agreements are interpreted as favorable to them. On the issue of German reunification and Berlin, the four countries and various political forces in their occupied areas launched a fierce and complicated struggle. 1In June 1948, the occupied areas of the United States, Britain and France merged.1On May 23, 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was established separately, referred to as the Federal Republic of Germany or West Germany. On September 20, Adenauer formed the first federal government. In the same year1October 7th, 10, the Soviet-occupied area also declared the establishment of the German Democratic Republic, or GDR for short. Since then, the unified German country has split into two parts, and two Germans have appeared on the world stage at the same time. Both Germany are sovereign countries and have been recognized by many countries and established diplomatic relations with them. 1973 was also accepted as a member of the United Nations; Both sides have joined different military, political and economic groups. In recent years, relations between the two countries have improved. 1972 signed the treaty on the basis of relations, mutually recognized sovereign States, established normal good-neighborly relations with each other, and established permanent representative offices with each other. The two countries exchanged visits and exchanged views on bilateral relations and international issues. Whether Germany and Germany should be reunified or not and on what basis should be decided by the two peoples themselves.
What is the "West Berlin Problem"?
Berlin, formerly known as "Great Berlin", was the capital of Germany before World War II. After the war, according to relevant international agreements, Berlin, like Germany as a whole, was occupied by the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain and France, and there was a unified anti-fascist municipal government in the early days. 1948, the occupied areas of the United States, Britain and France merged to form a "triple occupied area"; In the same year, the temporary democratic government of Great Berlin was established in the eastern region occupied by the Soviet Union. 1949, three western countries held city council elections in the west to form the West Berlin municipal government. At this point, a complete Berlin was divided into two parts: East Berlin and West Berlin. West Berlin is located in East Germany and becomes an "island city"; East Berlin is the capital of the German Democratic Republic.
West Berlin covers an area of 480 square kilometers, accounting for 54% of the whole Berlin. 198 1 year population is 1.9 million, accounting for 62% of the entire population of Berlin. West Berlin is a special political unit that is not independent. It is far from the Federal Republic of Germany, and the nearest distance is180km. Its transportation links with West Germany include three air lines (called air corridors), three railways, three highways and two waterways. Although it is integrated with the Federal Republic of Germany in judicial, economic, financial, monetary and social systems, West Germany can represent the interests of West Berlin in international organizations and conferences, but it is not an integral part of West Germany. Although a municipal government has been established, it is still under the military occupation of the three western countries, with the United States, Britain and France as the highest authorities in West Berlin. Military vehicles of the four countries can still patrol the whole city of Berlin.
Due to the different positions and interests of the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, France and Germany, the East and the West waged a fierce struggle on the sovereignty of West Berlin and its major issues. Like the two Germans, the relationship between the two Berlin was very tense before the early 1960s, especially after the German Democratic Republic built the "Berlin Wall" around West Berlin in August 196 1, the tension in Berlin reached its peak. Later, with the continuous improvement of the relations between Germany and Germany, especially after the four countries signed the Quadripartite Agreement in September 197 1, the situation in Berlin eased somewhat. However, due to the favorable interpretation of the terms of the relevant agreement, the two sides still have disputes over the status of Berlin from time to time.