This was seen as giving the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ) a degree of legitimacy as a separate state .
On 23 March 1954 , the Soviet Union declared that it would establish diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic .
This was seen as giving the German Democratic Republic ( German Democratic Republic   ) a degree of legitimacy as a separate state .
On 23 March 1954 , the Soviet Union declared that it would establish diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic .