The history of East Germany is closely tied to the history of Germany as a whole. After the end of World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, with the Soviet Union controlling the eastern part of the country, which became known as East Germany. The East German government was formed in 1949, and it adopted a communist system of government. The East German economy was heavily subsidized by the Soviet Union, and it was largely isolated from the rest of the world. During the 1950s and 1960s, East Germany experienced a period of economic growth, but the country struggled to keep up with the economic development of West Germany. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and East Germany was reunified with West Germany. Since then, East Germany has been part of a unified Germany, and it has worked to modernize its economy and infrastructure.

My protracted travel in this region began during an autumn rain in 2010 & was tethered primarily to the eastern state of Saxony, Germany. Saxony has a long and varied history. It was first inhabited by Celts in the first century BC and was later conquered by the Romans in the first century AD. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Saxony was ruled by various Germanic tribes before being incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire in the 10th century. During the Middle Ages, Saxony was an important center of trade and commerce, and it was also the site of several battles during the Thirty Years' War. During the 18th century, Saxony was annexed by Prussia and became part of the German Empire in 1871. After World War II, Saxony was part of East Germany until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Today, Saxony is a thriving region with a rich cultural heritage.