West Germany had the official stance that only one Germany existed, and it was them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_mandate https://en.wikipedia.org/w

West Germany had the official stance that only one Germany existed, and it was them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_mandate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_mandate This resulted in all kinds of awkwardness, because of course both German states had to interact in practice (just think of public utilities of split Berlin), but somehow didn't want to set a precendent proving the other a) existed and b) was legitimate.