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2.
Angela Merkel grew up there.
Apparently a largely unpolitical physicist, she was 35 when the Berlin Wall fell but rose to the level of a minister in the following two years.
3.
Lower Saxony was one of its states.
4.
Bordered Czechoslovakia.
5.
Was governed by Walter Ulbricht and Erich Honecker.
6.
Joined the United Nations as late as 1973.
This was only made possible after the West gave up its claim of exclusive mandate for all German people.
7.
Had a higher population density.
8.
The rights of women to freely pursue employment were restricted until 1977.
Say what you will about the GDR, but at least it ensured that women were able to work early on.
9.
Is often referred to as DDR by native speakers.
10.
Experienced student protests in 1968.
11.
"The Lives of Others" is set there.
The 2006 film is about a member of the Stasi, the East German security service.
12.
Ceased to exist on October 3, 1990.
The East signed a treaty of accession to the Federal Republic of Germany.