▁the ▁German ▁military ▁they ▁divided ▁Germany ▁into ▁four ▁zones , ▁one ▁controlled ▁each ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁French , ▁Americans , ▁and ▁S ovi ets , ▁and ▁collect ively ▁govern ed ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁Germany ▁with ▁the ▁Al lied ▁Control ▁Council . ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁zones ▁had ▁co ales ced ▁into ▁what ▁became ▁West ▁Germany ▁while ▁the ▁remaining ▁Soviet ▁zone ▁became ▁East ▁Germany ; ▁both ▁parts ▁each ▁had ▁their ▁own ▁respective ▁president ial ▁elections ▁starting ▁that ▁year . ▁West ▁Germany ' s ▁constitution ▁provided ▁that ▁the ▁president ▁be ▁chosen ▁indirect ly ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁a ▁Federal ▁Convention ▁consisting ▁of ▁parliament ari ans ▁and ▁state ▁deleg ates . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁East ▁Germany ▁formally ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁West ▁Germany ▁and ▁was ▁thus ▁bound ▁by ▁its ▁constitution ; ▁the ▁first ▁all - G erman ▁president ial ▁election ▁since ▁un ification , ▁and ▁thus ▁since ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁election ▁is ▁thus ▁the ▁last ▁direct ▁election ▁to ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Larry ▁Eug ene ▁Jones ▁arg ues ▁that ▁conserv ative ▁split ▁in ▁the ▁era , ▁combined ▁with ▁Br ü ning ' s ▁attempts ▁to ▁by pass ▁the ▁Reich stag ▁and ▁his ▁def lation ary ▁policies ▁in ▁the ▁economy , ▁ultimately ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Mach ter gre if ung ▁almost ▁a ▁year ▁later . ▁ ▁Foot notes ▁ ▁Ex plan atory ▁notes ▁ ▁References ▁▁