Germany After World War 2

In 1939, Germany started World War 2; she1 was confident that she1 could conquer and control all of
Europe. She1 spread death and destruction over much of the continent2. But after several years of war,
Germany herself began to suffer severe losses3: Allied bombing raids destroyed German cities, farms,
industries, and transportation systems. Food, water, and fuel began to disappear. And without these
essentials4, people could not care for themselves5 and their families. Berlin, the capital city, incurred
even worse damage6: Bombing raids destroyed seventy percent of its7 buildings. The city8 was left in
ruins. People there9 lived in squalor: Vermin10 spread disease, with rats infesting peoples homes and
fleas and cockroaches contaminating their11 food. Conditions worsened daily.
1. she: ________________________________________________________________
2. the continent: ________________________________________________________
3. losses: _____________________________________________________________
4. these essentials: ______________________________________________________
5. themselves: _________________________________________________________
6. damage: ____________________________________________________________
7. its: ________________________________________________________________
8. the city: ____________________________________________________________
9. there: ______________________________________________________________
10. vermin: ____________________________________________________________
11. their: ______________________________________________________________

Germany Surrenders
Finally on 7 May 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces and the war in Europe1 was over.
By June of 1945, Great Britain, the United States, France, and the Soviet Union had occupied the
whole country2. Immediately, they3 devised a system4 for controlling Germany: They divided
Germany into four sectorsthree5 in the west and one5 in the east. They also divided the capital
city6 into four sectors with Great Britain, The United States, France, and the Soviet Union each
administering one sector of the city7. All four countries8 agreed to help rebuild German cities, farms,
industries, and transportation systems. They9 also promised to promote the establishment of a
democratic form of government in Germany.
1. the war in Europe: ____________________________________________________
2. the whole country: ____________________________________________________
3. they: _______________________________________________________________
4. a system: ___________________________________________________________
5. three and one: ________________________________________________________
6. the capital city: ______________________________________________________
7. the city: _____________________________________________________________
8. All four countries: ____________________________________________________
9. They: ______________________________________________________________

The Partition of Germany

Before long, the four countries1 began to disagree on how to govern Germany. Great Britain, the
United States, and France wanted to establish a democratic government. The Soviet Union did not2;
rather, they wanted to establish a communist government. In order to solve this disagreement, they
partitioned Germany into two separate countries. And on 23 May 1949, the three western
sectors3 became the Federal Republic of Germany, or simply West Germany. It was to have a
democratic government. And on 7 October 1949, the eastern sector4 became the German Democratic
Republic, or East Germany. It5 would have a communist government.
1. the four countries: ____________________________________________________
2. did not: _____________________________________________________________
3. the three western sectors: ______________________________________________
4. the eastern sector: ____________________________________________________
5.

it: _________________________________________________________________

The Establishment of Governments in the two Germanies

Great Britain, the United States, and France did not try to control West Germany; rather they allowed
West Germany to become a democracy and to govern itself1. The United States invested millions of
dollars into helping West Germany rebuild its cities, farms, industries, and transportation systems. In
this way2, West German industry and technology grew, and its3people prospered. On the other hand,
the Soviet Union established a communist government in East Germany. They dismantled many of
East Germanys factories and shipped them4 to the Soviet Union. They5 took over banks, farms, and
industries and forced them6 to work for the Soviet Union. They also forced people to work for low
wages. As a result of these harsh measures, East Germans began to languish in poverty.
1. Itself: ______________________________________________________________
2. in this way: _________________________________________________________
3. its: ________________________________________________________________
4. them: ______________________________________________________________
5. They: ______________________________________________________________
6. Them: _____________________________________________________________

The Massive Exodus from East Germany

After the Soviet Union established communism in East Germany, they1 took over banks, farms, and
industries and forced people to work for low wages. In response to these difficult conditions2,
hundreds of thousands of East German citizens fled to the West3 to live. Soon, fewer people were
working in East German factories, banks, farms, and industries. Then on 26 May 1952, in order to
stop this exodus4, East Germany established a tight security system5 along its frontier with West
Germany: Starting at the Baltic Sea in the north and extending to the western tip of Czechoslovakia in
the south, they6 constructed minefields, barbed wire, and watchtowers with guards. These
measures effectively prevented most East Germans from crossing the frontier to the West.

1. They: ______________________________________________________________
2. these difficult conditions: _______________________________________________
3. the West: ___________________________________________________________
4. this exodus: _________________________________________________________
5. security system: ______________________________________________________
6. they: _______________________________________________________________

The Berlin Wall

However, within the city of Berlin, there was no such security system. People were still able to pass
freely from East to West1 and they did2. Many East Germans made their way to Berlin; then, they
crossed over to the West, and never returned. Finally, on 13 August 1961, the East German
Government built a huge 27-mile wall of concrete and barbed wire through the center of the city3,
dividing the Soviet sector from the other three4. Now nobody could escape to the West; East
Germans were truly prisoners of their own country5.The Berlin Wall6 separated families and
ruined peoples7 lives.
1. from East to West: ___________________________________________________
2. did: ________________________________________________________________
3. the city: ____________________________________________________________
4. the other three: ______________________________________________________
5. their own country: ____________________________________________________
6. The Berlin Wall: _______________________________________________________
7. peoples:

________________________________________________
The Second Exodus

For many years, East German people devised creative ways1 to sneak out of East Germany. Some
people dug tunnels; others2 tried crashing through checkpoints with cars, trucks, or busses; still
others3 flew out in small airplanes or balloons. One woman tied herself to the bottom of a car and
passed through a checkpoint unnoticed. And one family made fake Russian uniforms for themselves4;
then, they pretended to be Russian soldiers and simply drove through a checkpoint. Some desperate
people tried scrambling over a barbed-wire fence or a wall. These people5 were often shot.
1. creative ways: _______________________________________________________
2. others: _____________________________________________________________
3. still others: __________________________________________________________
4. themselves: __________________________________________________________
5. these people: _________________________________________________________

Relationships Improve between East and West Germany

On 21 December 1972, the Basic Treaty was signed by East and West Germany, and relations
between the two countries1 started to improve. During the next two decades, they began to cooperate
with each other2 by sharing cultural and commercial activities3 such as arts exchange programs and
joint business ventures. However, East Germans were still dissatisfied, for their4 living standard was
lower than that5 of West Germany. Their6 industries produced inferior goods, and their country7 was
polluted from inferior mining methods and careless industrial waste.
1. the two countries: _____________________________________________________
2. each other: __________________________________________________________
3. activities: ___________________________________________________________
4. their: _______________________________________________________________
5. that: _______________________________________________________________
6. Their: ______________________________________________________________
7. their country: ________________________________________________________

The Reunification of Germany

Because of the untenable situation in their country1, East Germans became increasingly frustrated.
Suddenly in 1989, East Germans who2 took vacations in Hungary and Czechoslovakia discovered
that these countries3 would allow them4 to go into West Germany. But then, the East German
government tried to prevent people from going into those countries5. East Germans became even
more frustrated and angry. People in many East German cities began to mount massive
demonstrations. They insisted on an end to their communist government. Most of all, they
demanded freedom to travel. The demonstrations continued and became increasingly more intense.
1. their country: ________________________________________________________
2. who: _______________________________________________________________
3. these countries: _______________________________________________________
4. them: _______________________________________________________________
5. those countries: ______________________________________________________