West Germany

noun

1. a former republic in central Europe: created in 1949 by the coalescing of the British, French, and U.S. zones of occupied Germany established in 1945. 96,025 sq. mi. (248,706 sq. km). Bonn.

West Germany

noun

1. Official name: Federal Republic of Germany. a former republic in N central Europe, on the North Sea: established in 1949 from the zones of Germany occupied by the British, Americans, and French after the defeat of Nazi Germany; a member of the European Community; reunited with East Germany in 1990 See also Germany

West Germany

1. Popular name for the Federal Republic of Germany before the reunification of Germany in 1990. Bonn was the seat of its government.

The Bonn Convention in 1952 essentially granted West Germany national sovereignty. In 1955, West Germany was recognized as an independent country.

It made a swift recovery, called the “economic miracle” from the devastation of World War II.

With the collapse of communism, West Germany absorbed East Germany. Berlin became the capital of the united Germany.

Established in 1949, after dissension between the United States and the Soviet Union led to the division of Germany into East Germany and West Germany, it was formed out of the states included in the American, French, and British occupation zones.

West Germany was a member of NATO.

Other Word Forms

• West German adjective

Example Sentences

Especially poignant is her discussion of West Germany’s incomplete attempts at legal accountability.

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In 1952, after World War II ended and the family found itself living in the newly created German Democratic Republic, East Germany, they all fled to West Germany.

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Spain and the Netherlands, who met in the 2010 final, both qualified for South Africa in perfect style, as did West Germany for the 1982 tournament.

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With U.S. support, West Germany became a free country with democratic elections.

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At the same time, foreign competition returned with a vengeance, as Japan, Korea and West Germany rebuilt their industrial sectors.

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