Bulgaria's Political and Economic Relations with the GDR until 1953 in the Soviet Deutschlandpolitik

Abstract

The article examines the political and economic relations between Bulgaria and Soviet occupation zone and the GDR until 1953 in parallel with the Soviet-East German relations during the same period. First, the various stages of Soviet policy towards Germany policy are examined and the various research programs related to it neglected. Because of Bulgaria's dependence on the USSR for major foreign policy issues, there is no room for independent Bulgarian steps on the German question. Nevertheless, bilateral relations were not without contradictions. contacts between the PRC and the GDR gave priority to foreign trade relations. The mutual interests of the two countries are clearly evident in them. For all its solidarity with the GDR, the PRC often focused on its own interests. The main problems were issues of price, timing and difficulties in getting supplies from both countries. Despite the steadily increasing exchange of goods, no long-term economic agreement was concluded during this period. Because of the failure to implement the trade agreement, each year ended with a trade deficit on the part of the GDR.