It was not a nightmare. What is happening today is more frightening. Both sides (USA and Soviet Union) had a interest to show the good side of their system. They pumped a lot of money into west and east germany. But the west got everything and the east had no bananas. There was also a shortage of meat and other products you need for a good life but it was affordable. And this is the reason why it was always sold out. On both sides there was a system of state control. No outsiders ruling. But in both cases the laws had to be compatible with the occupying power. Or do you really think west germany was independent? If you look at todays map, there are no military bases in east germany and no nato bases and no russian soldiers. When you look at west germany: not much has changed. Still a lot of US bases, US soldiers and Nato bases. They even left the nuclear warheads in west germany. The soviet union is dead but they are pushing even harder into russia. Now we are at the ukrainian border fighting against....(What? Communism is dead. So we fight putin or are we doing the same thing hitler did?)