From what I understand, Germany was split into areas controlled by the Allies. How did Germany go from there to where they are today?
In: 5
Right after the war ended, the Allies (france, Uk, US) captured what was to become western germany and udssr captured their part, which would become eastern germany (seperated by the wall).
After ’45 Germany was partly ashes, and the only ones able to work were the german women. Men were dead, disabled, inprisoned in other countrys or they fled the country earlier or during war. Jewish men were mostly dead or also fled the country. Some were freed by the allies from concentration camps.
Right after the war, the women and children (and few men) started to literally pick up the rocks and clean the bombed city parts. These women especially were known as Trümmer-Frauen, debris-women. My grandma told me how her mother and she needed to work alongside them in order to earn food. You had to do your part like everyone else.
At first there were very few goods, so people started trading with coffee, cigarettes, needs for infants, women went into prostitution to earn for their family. It was not good. But the Allies knew they had lost a wealthy trading partner in Germany and in order to rebuild the worldwide economics, they helped germany get back on their feet. They supported the country.
The eastern part of Germany was not so lucky. My dad told me how the UDSSR exported everything that was of value and did not bother to support the germans as much. That’s why Germany used to have (for a ling time) a solidary tax to help rebuild the east of the country. It was mandatory to pay for people in the west, but is now gone.
But you still have lower wages in eastern germany than in the west.
Edit: Typos.
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