The ruling communist party, known as the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), formed in April 1946 from the merger between the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).[35] The two former parties were notorious rivals when they were active before the Nazis consolidated all power and criminalized them, and official East German and

Abstract

The ruling communist party, known as the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), formed in April 1946 from the merger between the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).[35] The two former parties were notorious rivals when they were active before the Nazis consolidated all power and criminalized them, and official East German and