GERMANY AFTER WORLD WAR II

The history of Germany during World War II closely parallels that of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. He came to power in Germany in 1933. From that point onward, Germany followed a policy of rearmament and confrontation with other countries. During the war German armies occupied most of Europe; Nazi forces defeated France, took Norway, invaded Yugoslavia and Greece and occupied much of the European portion of the Soviet Union. Germany also forged alliances with Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and later Finland and collaborated with individuals in several other nations. The German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942 was considered the decisive victory that turned the tide of the war against Germany and her Anti-Comintern allies. The Second World War culminated in Germany's unconditional surrender to the Allies, the fall of Nazi Germany, and the death of Adolf Hitler.

What happened to Germany after World War II ?

Germany surrendered unconditionally. In other words, the Allies could do as they pleased with the country. The country was divided into four zones (American, British, French and Soviet) governed by the four powers of occupation. Berlin, which geographically lay in the Soviet Zone, was divided into four sectors. Germany east of the Oder and Gneiss rivers was transferred to Poland and Soviet Union. The German population of these areas and also of Czechoslovakia and some east European countries was expelled and forcibly moved to Germany.  Many estimates put the number of expelled Germans at about 11.7 million. Obviously, many suffered grievously and some died in the process. (Estimates of the number of Germans that died as a result of the expulsions range from 1 million to 2 million). Hyperinflation. Prices rose by about 85% in the twelve months from December 1944. (For many Germans this was the second hyperinflation in a generation). Germany was "morally" bankrupt. All people who wished to keep positions of responsibility (such as teachers) had to convince the Allies that they weren't Nazis. This process of "denazification" was felt to be very degrading. The infrastructure had been very badly damaged by British and Americas bombing, and by fighting on the ground. Twelve months after the end of the war in Europe it took 72 hours to travel by rail from Munich to Hamburg. In many parts of the country essentials such as food were in short supply. Even if they were 'there' on paper, transport problems often prevented efficient distribution. For both the Allies and the Germans, one of the top priorities was to clear rubble from the streets of the cities. Often the rubble made it impossible for vehicles to use the carriageway. This work was largely done by women. In exchange, they and their children were fed, but they were paid the equivalent of only 10 cents an hour. The repatriation of prisoners of war took quite a while. The Red Cross tried to make sure that next of kin knew whether their menfolk were still alive, but for years after the war many women didn't know whether their husbands were still alive. The Soviet Union didn't return all POWs till 1955 - and sometimes didn't give information either. It was above all the Cold War and the long postwar boom that pulled Germany out this mess.