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The year 1949 has a special significance in German history. Two states were founded almost simultaneously in that year. The division of Germany into West and East was a reflection of the division of the world during the Cold War, when East and West were at war for more than 40 years. From today’s perspective, what happened then seems logical. Today we know that the division of Germany, which lasted for so long, was not to be an eternal division. It was inevitable that the democratic values laid down in the German constitution in 1949 would eventually prevail, and that they would become the foundation of society, including the society of a united Germany. In 1949, Germans could not have predicted this. The Germans, both East and West, were experiencing an unprecedented historical experience. They were faced with a completely new situation. What would have happened if someone had made a serious mistake when founding the two states? Or if the curse of fascism had not been overcome at that time? This documentary sheds light on the key events surrounding the founding of the two states in 1949, as well as on people’s feelings at that time. Interviews with citizens from East and West Germany reveal the beginning of a political and social journey whose path and purpose were unknown at the time. ـــــ Invitation to dialogue at DW: https://p.dw.com/p/OYIo More documentaries are available on our websites in English: http://www.dw.com/ar/tv/docfilm/s-3610 / dwdocumentary / dw.stories