The division of Germany was initially intended to be temporary, with the goal of eventual reunification. However, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union prevented reunification for over 40 years. The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established in 1949, while the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was established in 1949.
The two German states had very different political, economic, and social systems. West Germany developed into a successful, capitalist democracy, while East Germany became a communist dictatorship. The Berlin Wall, built in 1961, symbolized the division of Germany and the separation of families and friends.
The reunification of Germany finally occurred on October 3, 1990, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) absorbed the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), and the newly reunified country became a sovereign state