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Cold War

The Cold War was a state of geopolitical tension after the end of World War II. It pitted the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its allies) against the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies).

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News

October 29, 2024

Ikea to compensate East German prisoners for forced labor

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier applauds US President Joe Biden after awarding him Germany's Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit.

Will Joe Biden be the last trans-Atlantic US president?

Will Joe Biden be the last trans-Atlantic US president?

During his visit to Germany, US President Joe Biden stressed the importance of the German-US relationship.
PoliticsOctober 21, 2024
Anne Applebaum

Peace Prize winner Anne Applebaum: A voice against autocrats

Peace Prize winner Anne Applebaum: A voice against autocrats

The US-Polish historian has warned the world of Russia's Vladimir Putin long before the full-scale war in Ukraine.
CultureOctober 18, 2024
Two GDR symbols: A flag of the GDR hanging on the Berlin Wall in 1990

East Germany: A failed experiment in dictatorship

East Germany: A failed experiment in dictatorship

Germany was divided between 1945 and 1990, but one can still feel it.
HistoryOctober 7, 2024
The "Russenhäuser" in Berlin's Karlshorst district

Could Ukraine get Berlin’s abandoned 'Russian houses'?

Could Ukraine get Berlin’s abandoned 'Russian houses'?

A local politician aims to confiscate derelict Russian-owned buildings in Berlin for Ukraine's benefit.
PoliticsAugust 24, 2024
Armed forces stand along a border fence, next to an ambulance and military vehicle

Poland, Belarus: A new Cold War or humanitarian catastrophe?

Poland, Belarus: A new Cold War or humanitarian catastrophe?

The border between Poland and Belarus is the scene of an increasing number of illegal crossings and violence.
MigrationAugust 4, 202405:00 min
German soldiers deployed in Lithuania

Germany's Bundeswehr: How ready is it to defend NATO?

Germany's Bundeswehr: How ready is it to defend NATO?

During the Cold War, the West German army trained for defense against attacks from the east. Now it is preparing again.
ConflictsJuly 9, 2024
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Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

Bunker turned cultural center in Bremen

Civil protection: Calls for Germany to build new bunkers

German cities want new bunkers to protect the population in the event of war. But critics argue there's no point.
SocietyJuly 1, 2024
people standing atop the Berlin Wall on December 22, 1989, holding a banner reading "Germany, united Fatherland"

Understanding how Germany and Europe ended the Cold War

A new way to present history in the classroom: A traveling exhibit illustrates the recent German and European past.
HistoryMarch 23, 2024
A decommissioned Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile sits in an underground silo

Germany and nuclear weapons: A difficult history

Donald Trump's remarks on NATO's principle of collective defense have triggered a debate in Germany on nuclear options.
PoliticsFebruary 17, 2024
Juxtaposed photos of Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, each sitting at a desk and listening intently to a landline telephone.

Ukraine war: 'Hotline' between the US and Russia?

A direct line for negotiations was established in 1963 after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Is the link still active?
HistoryAugust 30, 2023
Black and white photo of people lighting candles in Leipzig for a prayer for peace in October 1989

Germans revive Cold War Monday demonstrations

Monday protests organized by both the left and the right evoke mixed feelings in Germany.
SocietySeptember 5, 2022
two men play chess at a table

Cold War on a chessboard

The 1972 "Match of the Century" saw Bobby Fischer of the US challenge the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky.
CultureAugust 31, 2022
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