German Democratic Republic (Classic)

The First Republic

Overview

The First Republic of the German Democratic Republic was created during the German revolution where communist revolutionaries broke away from the Nazi dictatorship and declared a state of democracy. Unfortunately for the First Republic, it was short lived as it lasted only for a week until outside forces weakened the Republic and destroyed the whole of Germany. The nation was followed by Nazi Germany and it's successor states.

Political and Economic reforms under the German Democratic Republic

In an attempt to secure legitimacy of the new Democratic Republic, reforms were pushed out by the new Socialist Unity Party (SED) leadership to show the workings of a Democratic Republic. Elections were to be held for General Secretary and the right to vote was given to everyone. The economic reforms that ensured was the nationalisation of all private industry and enterprise, the implementation of a planned closed market economy, and an ambitious Five Year Plan to industrialise the GDR but it was never completed due to it's short existence. The new newspaper, The Munich Times was chosen to be the Party mouthpiece. During it's existence, The Munich Times consisted of all members of the SED to ensure the paper was politically reliable, which it was until the First Republic fell apart.

Controversy

The GDR is controversial as it is not recognized as a sovereign nation by all, or as an actual different entity from the German Empire. While the change was generally undisputed within Germany, the nation itself did not reform, and as such is often considered the second phase of the second incarnaton of Germany, especially as it was a short lived nation.

Legacy

Although the German Democratic Republic has fallen, this is only the first rendition of the GDR and the many breakaway states formed from the collapse wonder if they will form all united again.