German partition and the establishment of the German Democratic Republic
Four years after the end of the Second World War, the establish- ment of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) took place on 7th October 1949, instigated by one of the the winning powers, the Soviet Union. Previous to this on 23rd May 1949, the German Federal Republic was established with the support of the western Allies of (England, France and the USA) in their occupied zone ("Trizone"). A vast number of GDR citizens recognized a more positive way of life for themselves in the Federal Republic. Up to 1961 three million GDR citizens had already left the GDR.
A Wall divides Germany
From the 13th August onwards, the construction of the Berlin Wall began in order to halt further emigration, Notably, the Berlin Wall was one of the most obvious symbols for German partition. The Berlin Wall, more commonly referred to as the "anti-fascist barricade" in GDR propaganda, was a part