Germany was divided into two blocks after World War II. The east block was controlled by the communist government, while the West block was ruled by the US, Britain, and France. The division started in 1949 and ended in 1989 after the fall of the Berlin wall. The GDR was established in the Soviet zone while the Federal Republic of Germany was established in the Western Block.
The housing, basic food, services, and other facilities were stated-owned in East Germany and were heavily subsidized. However, the economic policies failed and the government fell into debt and the economy collapsed. Inflation and unemployment rates were very high in the eastern bloc as compared to the west.
These fascinating photographs that show everyday life in East Germany in the mid-1970s.
