January 1945		Soviet Army invades east Prussia
16 April 1945		Soviet Army begins Battle for Berlin
8 May 1945		Germany surrenders. Soviet Army is occupying eastern part of the country
1947		British, French & American occupied zones of Germany are united
24 June 1948		Start of Berlin Airlift to overcome Soviet blockade of the city
May 1949		Soviet blockade of Berlin is lifted
7 October 1949		Soviet occupied zone becomes East Germany. Allied zone becomes separate state of West Germany
26 May 1952		Border with West Germany is closed
17 July 1953		Uprising of East Berlin workers
1956		East Germany joins Warsaw Pact
13 August 1961		Construction of Berlin Wall begins
1973		East Germany joins United Nations
9 November 1989		Berlin Wall is broken open
18 March 1990		East Germans vote in free elections for the first time
July 1990		The economies of East and West Germany are united
3 October 1990		East Germany unites with West Germany
1997		German capital city moved to Berlin