may 23, 1949 - The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) is formed with Communist party leader Wilhelm Pieck as president

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"The formation of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) in May 1949 frustrated whatever hopes Stalin may have had that communism would spread there on its own…this left Stalin little choice but to authorise the formation of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in October, but he did so with little enthusiasm...• In March 1952, staling offered reunification in return for neutralisation…this proposal went nowhere. " (Gaddis 2006, p. 105)

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