1949    The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) is formed.

1949    The diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic are established.

1961    The German Democratic Republic closes the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin to thwart its inhabitants' attempts to escape to the West.

1990    Re-unification of Germany. The German Democratic Republic ceases to exist and its territory becomes part of the Federal Republic of Germany. East German citizens became part of the ''European Community'', which later became the European Union. Now celebrated as German Unity Day.