Development and state of relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, the implications of which going beyond the bilateral scope, are considered an important factor of European and international politics. But unfortunately there exist hardly any English language presentations from the West German side. The present essay offers competent first hand information about the German Question in the international political framework since 1945, about the theoretical structures and greater political impacts as well as about special aspects of the current state of relations between the two German states. The author does not follow the intention to present a purely theoretical scheme, the thoughts and considerations noted down here result from long practical experience in this extremely complicated political field. Interested readers are presented an introduction which provides historical, fundamental, as well as practical political contexts and details of intra-German politics and of the relations between the FRG and GDR.