After World War II concluded in 1945, Germany found itself under the authority of the Allied Powers following its defeat. The country was carved into four separate zones, with governance split among the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. As Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union intensified, this arrangement gave rise to two distinct nations: West Germany and East Germany. For 45 years, the country remained split — until the fall of the Berlin Wall transformed the political landscape in 1990. On October 3, 1990, Germany was officially reunified into a single state.
The Two Plus Four Agreement
The path to reunification formally kicked off with the Two Plus Four Agreement. A conference aimed at reunifying Germany was proposed in February 1990, and the parties involved reached a final agreement on September 12, 1990.
At the heart of this treaty were negotiations between East and West Germany and the four Allied Powers from World War II: the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. Through this landmark agreement, Germany regained its sovereignty, secured the right to remain a member of NATO, saw its borders formally confirmed, and agreed upon a defined timeline for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from its territory.
The reunified nation also saw Berlin restored as its capital.
The Official Day of German Unity
Every year on October 3rd, Germany marks its National Day of German Unity. The occasion serves as a formal recognition that the political structures born out of post-war Germany were dissolved, bringing an end to the era of a divided nation.
Throughout decades of separation, the aspiration to come together as one state remained Germany's central ambition — even as the country wrestled with considerable challenges along the way. Merging West Germany's market-oriented economy with East Germany's centrally planned system proved to be a formidable task, creating both economic and social hurdles. And while the lasting effects of that long division can still be felt today, remarkable progress has been achieved. For Germans, October 3rd stands as the day when the split officially became a thing of the past.