<P> International plans for the unification of Germany were made during the early years following the establishment of the two states, but to no avail . In March 1952, the Soviet government proposed the Stalin Note to hold elections for a united German assembly while making the proposed united Germany a neutral state, i.e. a neutral state approved by the people, similar to the Austrians' approval of a neutral Austria . The Western Allied governments refused this initiative, while continuing West Germany's integration into the Western alliance system . The issue was raised again during the Foreign Ministers' Conference in Berlin in January--February 1954, but the western powers refused to make Germany neutral . Following Bonn's adherence to NATO on 9 May 1955, such initiatives were abandoned by both sides . </P> <P> During the summer of 1989, rapid changes took place in East Germany, which ultimately led to German reunification . Widespread discontent boiled over, following accusations of large scale vote - rigging during the local elections of May 1989 . Growing numbers of East Germans emigrated to West Germany via Hungary after the Hungarians decided not to use force to stop them . Thousands of East Germans also tried to reach the West by staging sit - ins at West German diplomatic facilities in other East European capitals . The exodus generated demands within East Germany for political change, and mass demonstrations (Monday demonstrations) with eventually hundreds of thousands of people in several cities--particularly in Leipzig--continued to grow . On 7 October, the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev visited Berlin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of East Germany and urged the East German leadership to pursue reform, without success . The movement of civil resistance against the East German regime--both the emigration and the demonstrations--continued unabated . </P> <P> On 18 October, Erich Honecker was forced to resign as head of the SED and as head of state and was replaced by Egon Krenz . But the exodus continued unabated, and pressure for political reform mounted . On 4 November, a demonstration in East Berlin drew as many as 1 million East Germans . Finally, on 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened, and East Germans were allowed to travel freely . Thousands poured through the wall into the western sectors of Berlin, and on 12 November, East Germany began dismantling it . </P> <P> On 28 November, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl outlined the 10 - Point Plan for the peaceful unification of the two German states, based on free elections in East Germany and a unification of their two economies . In December, the East German Volkskammer eliminated the SED monopoly on power, and the entire Politbüro and Central Committee--including Krenz--resigned . The SED changed its name to the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and the formation and growth of numerous political groups and parties marked the end of the communist system . Prime Minister Hans Modrow headed a caretaker government which shared power with the new, democratically oriented parties . On 7 December 1989, an agreement was reached to hold free elections in May 1990 and rewrite the East German constitution . On 28 January, all the parties agreed to advance the elections to 18 March, primarily because of an erosion of state authority and because the East German exodus was continuing apace; more than 117,000 left in January and February 1990 . </P>

When did east germany and west germany separate