New Länder
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The (five) New Länder (German: (Fünf) Neue Bundesländer) is a term describing five reestablished states (Länder) in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) that joined the Federal Republic of Germany (with ten Old Länder plus associated West-Berlin) upon German reunification on 3 October 1990.
These New Länder consist of:
East Berlin is neglected in that count, as West Berlin was generally regarded as part of the Federal Republic. The town had been divided into four sectors with a special status that did not allow the three sectors of West Berlin to be officially declared as a full (11th) member of the Federal Republic. The Soviet sector of Berlin had nevertheless been declared the capital of the GDR. Technically, the reunited Berlin is the result of dissolution of East Berlin and the institutions of West Berlin expanding to the whole city. Due to this, the Land Berlin which also was established in 1990 is regarded as being "old" anyway.
