Occupied Germany and Division 1945–1949

Germany's defeat in 1945 led not to a peace settlement but to occupation, partition, and the embedding of Germany at the centre of the Cold War. The key question is: was the division of Germany an inevitable consequence of Allied disagreements, or could it have been avoided?

Key Definition: Stunde Null ('Zero Hour') is the German term for the moment of capitulation on 8 May 1945, suggesting a complete break with the past and a fresh start. Historians debate whether this concept is accurate — many continuities persisted beneath the surface of apparent rupture.

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Germany at 'Zero Hour'

The scale of destruction in May 1945 was staggering: