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BRD is an unofficial abbreviation for Bundesrepublik Deutschland, the German name of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was used by the German Democratic Republic beginning in 1968. “East Germany” redirects here. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1968 Gregorian calendar. ...

History

In the first years after 1949 the abbreviation was sometimes used in Federal Republic of Germany without any special connotations. The German Democratic Republic at first used the name "West Germany" (abbreviated "WD") for the Federal Republic of Germany. However, since the 1950s the communist authorities insisted on calling the Federal Republic of Germany "Deutsche Bundesrepublik" (abbreviated "DBR"), because they considered the German Democratic Republic part of Germany, and thus would not permit the democratic government in West Germany using the name "Germany". 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ...

However, this changed in 1968 with the new constitution of the German Democratic Republic. The communists no longer strove for German reunification, and the name "BRD" was introduced as a propagandistic counter-term to the term "DDR", trying to express the equality of the states. Though the state designated by "BRD" was depicted like "the evil German state" in official GDR propaganda, the abbreviation itself was neutral. The GDR used the twin abbreviation "DDR" for herself without any problems (the West would thus speak of the "so-called 'DDR'" when it had to be belittled). Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1968 Gregorian calendar. ... Soviet Propaganda Poster during the World War II. The text reads Red Army Fighter, SAVE US! Chinese propaganda poster from during the Cultural Revolution. ... Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal or level) is the moral doctrine that people should be treated as equals, in some respect. ...

However, Western Germany for whatever reason took offense to abbreviating Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Western Germany had always claimed to be Germany, and she did not like the analogy to DDR, or two separate German states. Plus, East German communists continually used BRD. The term became undesired and only very naive people or Communist sympathizers would use it. Because of this, the term "BRD" has since been considered communist jargon in the Federal Republic of Germany, at least in the Western parts.

To distance themselves from the term "BRD", the government of the Federal Republic of Germany officially used the abbreviations BR Deutschland, BR Dt., BRDt., BR Dtld. or simply Dtld. until German reunification. After the German Democratic Republic was abolished, "Germany" ("Deutschland) is always used as the official short name. German reunification (German: ) took place on October 3, 1990, when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR, in English commonly called East Germany) were incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, in English commonly called West Germany). The start of this reunification process is commonly referred to...

The use of the term "BRD" is officially unwanted. For example a decree by the educational authorities of the state of Schleswig-Holstein of October 4, 1976 declare the term to be nicht wünschenswert, undesirable. In many schools the term was sanctioned as an error. Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 Bundesländer in Germany. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The term has thus become a symbolic border. One's deliberate usage or avoidance of the term in effect declares one's stance on West German prejudices.

Also, in some extreme right-wing groups, which do not recognize the current government of Germany, the term "BRD" is also used in the same way the communists used it, to express their view that the government of the Federal Republic of Germany is not the legitimate German government. Usually it is written "BRd" (with a small germany so to speak) in this context.

A similar ideological question was the question whether to use "Berlin (West)" (the officially preferred name) or "West Berlin". The naming of the German Democratic Republic was also a controversial issue, West Germans at first preferring the names "Middle Germany" and "SBZ" (Soviet Occupation Zone), which was only changed under Willy Brandt when the West Germans started using the official name, German Democratic Republic or "DDR". However, many German newspapers, for example those owned by the conservative Springer company, always wrote "DDR" in quotation marks until 1989. Axel Springer AG is one of the largest newspaper publishing companies in Europe, claiming to have over 150 newspapers and magazines in over 30 countries, including several central and eastern european countries: Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia and western european countries: Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, more than 10,000...

External links

• Erlass der Schulbehörde Schleswig-Holstein (in German)