The Soviet occupation zone in Germany (German: Sowjetische Besatzungszone (SBZ) or Ostzone, "East Zone"; Russian: Советская оккупационная зона Германии, Sovetskaya okkupatsionnaya zona Germanii, "Soviet occupation zone of Germany") was an area of Germany that was occupied by the Soviet Union as a communist area, established as a result of the Potsdam Agreement on 1 August 1945. On 7 October 1949 the German Democratic Republic (GDR), commonly referred to in English as East Germany, was established in the Soviet occupation zone.
Soviet occupation zone in Germany
Sowjetische BesatzungszoneSovetskaya okkupatsionnaya zona Germanii
By the time armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom began to meet Soviet Union forces, forming the Line of Contact, significant areas of what would become the Soviet zone of Germany were outside Soviet control. After several months of occupation, these gains by the British and Americans were ceded to the Soviets by July 1945, according to the previously agreed occupation zone boundaries.
Originally planned occupation zones according to the London Protocol (1944)States (Länder) of the Soviet zone and later also the GDR until 1952:
Mecklenburg
Brandenburg
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony
Thuringia
In 1945, the Soviet occupation zone consisted primarily of the central portions of Prussia. After Prussia was dissolved by the Allied powers in 1947, the area was divided between the German states (Länder) of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.[2] On 7 October 1949, the Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic. In 1952, the Länder were dissolved and realigned into 14 districts (Bezirke), plus the district of East Berlin.
In 1952, with the Cold War political confrontation well underway, Joseph Stalin sounded out the Western Powers about the prospect of a united Germany which would be non-aligned (the "Stalin Note"). The West's lack of interest in this proposal helped to cement the Soviet Zone's identity as the GDR for the next four decades.
"Soviet zone" and derivatives (or also, "the so-called GDR") remained official and common names for East Germany in West Germany, which refused to acknowledge the existence of a state in East Germany until 1972, when the government of Willy Brandt extended a qualified recognition under its Ostpolitik initiative.
^Geoffrey K. Roberts, Patricia Hogwood (2013). The Politics Today Companion to West European Politics. Oxford University Press. p. 50. ISBN9781847790323.; Piotr Stefan Wandycz (1980). The United States and Poland. Harvard University Press. p. 303. ISBN9780674926851.; Phillip A. Bühler (1990). The Oder-Neisse Line: a reappraisal under international law. East European Monographs. p. 33. ISBN9780880331746.
^Peterson, Edward N. (1999). Russian commands and German resistance : the Soviet Occupation, 1945–1949. New York: P. Lang. p. 5. ISBN0-8204-3948-7. OCLC 38207545.
Brennan, Sean, 'Land Reform Propaganda in Soviet Occupied Germany', University of Kent
Lewkowicz, NicolasThe German Question and the International Order, 1943–48 (Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke and New York) (2008)
Lewkowicz, Nicolas, The German Question and the Origins of the Cold War (IPOC: Milan) (2008)
February 16, 2024
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Soviet occupation zone redirects here For the zone in Austria see Allied occupied Austria For the zone in Korea see Soviet Civil Administration The Soviet occupation zone in Germany German Sowjetische Besatzungszone SBZ or Ostzone East Zone Russian Sovetskaya okkupacionnaya zona Germanii Sovetskaya okkupatsionnaya zona Germanii Soviet occupation zone of Germany was an area of Germany that was occupied by the Soviet Union as a communist area established as a result of the Potsdam Agreement on 1 August 1945 On 7 October 1949 the German Democratic Republic GDR commonly referred to in English as East Germany was established in the Soviet occupation zone Soviet occupation zone in GermanySowjetische BesatzungszoneSovetskaya okkupatsionnaya zona GermaniiMilitary occupation zone of the Soviet UnionFlag of the Soviet UnionThe Soviet occupation zone in redCapitalBerlinGovernment TypeMilitary occupation member of the Eastern Bloc Military governors 1945 1946Georgy Zhukov 1946 1949Vasily Sokolovsky 1949Vasily ChuikovHistorical eraPost World War II Cold War Surrender of Nazi Germany8 May 1945 German Democratic Republic established7 October 1949Preceded by Succeeded byNazi GermanyNational Committee for a Free Germany East GermanyToday part ofGermany 1949 Soviet visa from occupied Germany in a Polish service passportThe SBZ was one of the four Allied occupation zones of Germany created at the end of World War II with the Allied victory According to the Potsdam Agreement the Soviet Military Administration in Germany German initials SMAD was assigned responsibility for the middle portion of Germany Eastern Germany beyond the Oder Neisse line equal in territory to the SBZ was to be annexed by Poland and its population expelled pending a final peace conference with Germany 1 By the time armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom began to meet Soviet Union forces forming the Line of Contact significant areas of what would become the Soviet zone of Germany were outside Soviet control After several months of occupation these gains by the British and Americans were ceded to the Soviets by July 1945 according to the previously agreed occupation zone boundaries The SMAD allowed four political parties to develop though they were all required to work together under an alliance known as the Democratic Bloc later the National Front In April 1946 the Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD and the Communist Party of Germany KPD were forcibly merged to form the Socialist Unity Party which later became the governing party of the GDR The SMAD set up ten special camps for the detention of Germans making use of some former Nazi concentration camps Originally planned occupation zones according to the London Protocol 1944 States Lander of the Soviet zone and later also the GDR until 1952 Mecklenburg Brandenburg Saxony Anhalt Saxony ThuringiaIn 1945 the Soviet occupation zone consisted primarily of the central portions of Prussia After Prussia was dissolved by the Allied powers in 1947 the area was divided between the German states Lander of Brandenburg Mecklenburg Saxony Saxony Anhalt and Thuringia 2 On 7 October 1949 the Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic In 1952 the Lander were dissolved and realigned into 14 districts Bezirke plus the district of East Berlin In 1952 with the Cold War political confrontation well underway Joseph Stalin sounded out the Western Powers about the prospect of a united Germany which would be non aligned the Stalin Note The West s lack of interest in this proposal helped to cement the Soviet Zone s identity as the GDR for the next four decades Soviet zone and derivatives or also the so called GDR remained official and common names for East Germany in West Germany which refused to acknowledge the existence of a state in East Germany until 1972 when the government of Willy Brandt extended a qualified recognition under its Ostpolitik initiative See also editAllied occupied Austria History of East Germany Bizone Trizone Group of Soviet Forces in Germany Stunde NullReferences edit Geoffrey K Roberts Patricia Hogwood 2013 The Politics Today Companion to West European Politics Oxford University Press p 50 ISBN 9781847790323 Piotr Stefan Wandycz 1980 The United States and Poland Harvard University Press p 303 ISBN 9780674926851 Phillip A Buhler 1990 The Oder Neisse Line a reappraisal under international law East European Monographs p 33 ISBN 9780880331746 Peterson Edward N 1999 Russian commands and German resistance the Soviet Occupation 1945 1949 New York P Lang p 5 ISBN 0 8204 3948 7 OCLC 38207545 Brennan Sean Land Reform Propaganda in Soviet Occupied Germany University of Kent Lewkowicz NicolasThe German Question and the International Order 1943 48 Palgrave Macmillan Basingstoke and New York 2008 Lewkowicz Nicolas The German Question and the Origins of the Cold War IPOC Milan 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Soviet occupation zone in Germany amp oldid 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