Editing Hallstein Doctrine (section)

==Historical background==

===Partition of Germany===
Following Germany's defeat in World War II, the territory east of the [[Oder–Neisse line]] was under Soviet or Polish administration and had ''[[de facto]]'' been annexed. The rest of the territory west of that was divided into four [[Allied-occupied Germany|occupation zones]] controlled by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]], with the former capital, Berlin, being similarly divided into four sectors.<ref name="Spencer 1995"/>

The western zones controlled by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States were merged, in May 1949, to form the ''[[West Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]]'' (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''); in October 1949, the Soviet Zone became the ''[[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]]'' (''Deutsche Demokratische Republik'', or DDR).<ref name="Spencer 1995"/> They were informally known as "West Germany" and "East Germany". However, prior to 1954, the Allies still officially retained responsibility for the whole of Germany and neither East Germany nor West Germany had regained their [[sovereignty]].

The [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]], which came into effect in 1949, was written as a constitution for the whole of Germany, including West Germany and East Germany.<ref>Partly for this reason, this article often uses the official names "Federal Republic of Germany" (for what was commonly called West Germany) and "German Democratic Republic" (for what was commonly known as East Germany)</ref> It laid down [[German reunification]] as a goal and a requirement and was proclaimed in the name of the whole of the German people.<ref name="Basic Law"/>

===Soviet recognition of East Germany===
On 23 March 1954, the Soviet Union declared that it would establish diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic. This was seen as giving the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) a degree of legitimacy as a separate state.<ref name="KilianW_2001"/>{{Rp|19}} The West German government in [[Bonn]] rejected this, claiming that the Federal Republic of Germany was the legitimate heir of the [[German Reich|German ''Reich'']].<ref name="KilianW_2001"/>{{Rp| 19}}

===German sovereignty===
After the [[Ratification#Ratification of an international treaty|ratification]] of the [[London and Paris Conferences|Paris Accords]] on 5 May 1955, the [[General Treaty]] (''Deutschlandvertrag''), which largely restored (West) German sovereignty, took effect.<ref name="Lahn"/>{{Rp|41}}

===Exclusive mandate===
The government of the Federal Republic of Germany claimed to speak for the whole German people; this was re-iterated in a number of declarations.<ref name="KilianW_2001"/>{{Rp|18}}  In the New York Declaration of 18 September 1951, the [[Allied High Commission|western occupying powers]] had declared that they "regard[ed] the government of the Federal Republic of Germany as the only German government freely and legitimately constituted and therefore entitled to speak for the German nation in international affairs".<ref name="KilianW_2001"/>{{Rp|20}}

The Federal Republic of Germany did not recognize the German Democratic Republic and maintained diplomatic relations with neither the German Democratic Republic nor the other Communist states of [[Eastern Bloc|Eastern Europe]].