One year, two state foundings.
In May 1949, the Federal Republic’s Basic Law was promulgated. The GDR’s founding followed in October. Both events therefore belong to the same year, but to different political developments in West and East.
On 7 October, the German People’s Council declared itself the provisional People’s Chamber. The GDR emerged as a separate state under the SED’s decisive political leadership. The preceding Soviet occupation zone had not already been a state called the GDR since 1945.
The other three answers
The other years fall before or after the actual founding.
1947
1947 was still in the occupation period before the two German state foundings. The GDR was founded two years later.
1953
1953 recalls the uprising of 17 June. It occurred in a GDR that had already existed since 1949.
1956
1956 is seven years after the founding. The relevant date for the GDR’s establishment is 7 October 1949.
A state’s name does not automatically describe how it is governed.
GDR means German Democratic Republic. The word “democratic” in its name must not be equated with a free parliamentary democracy: the SED dominated the political system.
The question asks about the state’s founding, not the start of occupation, the building of the Wall or later German unity. Separating these events on a timeline prevents confusion.
People’s Chamber 1949 · House of History ↗GDR: 7 October 1949.
The Federal Republic and the GDR were both founded in 1949. October is the month associated with the GDR.
Three words for this question
- die Staatsgründungfounding of a state
- The establishment of a state with its own political order.
- provisorischprovisional
- Temporary; initially intended for a transitional period.
- die VolkskammerPeople’s Chamber
- The name of the GDR’s parliament.