ABSTRACT
When the German Reich surrendered unconditionally in May 1945, the fate of Germany was transferred into the hands of its former enemies, who occupied the whole country within pre-agreed zones and divided its capital Berlin into four sectors. Until 1990 its destiny reflected the patterns of agreement and disagreement between the former wartime allies. Whereas the three western allies were able to agree on the creation of the political entity that became the Federal Republic of Germany, disagreements with the fourth ally, the Soviet Union, meant that no single German state emerged from the defeat of 1945 and that a second German state was set up under its auspices. Thus the impetus for the creation of both German states came from outside. The German population could only gain a voice and influence to the extent that they were willing to act within the parameters set by the sponsoring powers, in the west the United States, Great Britain and France and in the east the Soviet Union. The difference between the two German states as they developed was that the western powers set wider parameters and that the state they created gained legitimacy through democratic elections, in which the electorate invariably gave power to forces that were keen to co-operate with what were initially occupying powers and later became allies and partners.
