Timeline

1945 - Germany divided between Soviet Union, UK, USA and France as occupational zones

August 1945 - Potsdam Conference

1946 - SED formed, Walter Ulbricht as first secretary

1948 - London Conference

1949 - NATO formed, GDR formed, FRG formed

1951 - First Five Year Plan

1953 - Stalin dies, New Course announced

1953 June - Uprising and Soviet suppression

1955 - West Germany join NATO, East Germany join Warsaw Pact

1956 - Second Five Year Plan

1959 - Seven Year Plan,

143,000 flee East Germany

1960 - 199,000 flee East Germany

1961 - Berlin Wall construction begins

1969 - Willy Brandt starts policy of Ostpolitik to improve relations with East Germany

Willy Brandt = Chancellor of West Germany

August 12 1970 - Treaty of Moscow

May 1971 - Ulbricht forced to resign, Honecker takes over

1973 - Both East and West Germany join the UN

1974 - Brandt resigns, Helmut Schmidt takes over and continues Ostpolitik

1982 - Helmut Kohl becomes Chancellor in West Germany

1985 - Mikhail Gorbachev begins policy of glastnost and perestroika

August 1989 - Hungary removes borders, Monday demonstrations in Leipzig begin

September 1989 - 40th Anniversary of GDR

October 1989 - Honecker resigned, Egon Krenz takes over

November 1989 - Gunter Schabowski states borders will open

March 1990 - Elections, pro unification alliance wins

September 1990 - first all German election, Christian democrats win