Pronunciation: [wˈɛnd] (IPA) 
The word "Wende" is a German term that is also known as the "German reunification." It refers to the events that led to the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. The word is spelled as /ˈvɛndə/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The "W" is pronounced as a "V" sound, while the "E" is pronounced as a short and unstressed "eh" sound. The "n" is pronounced as a nasal "n" sound, and the "d" is pronounced with a soft "t" sound.
Wende is a German noun that literally translates to "turn" or "change" in English. The term is primarily used to refer to the historical period of political and social transformation in East Germany that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This term specifically denotes the shift from the socialist regime of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to a democratic system. The Wende is considered a pivotal period in German history that marked the reunification of East and West Germany.
The Wende encompasses a range of significant socio-political changes that occurred in East Germany during this period, including the transition to a market economy, the establishment of democracy, and the integration of East Germany into the capitalist systems of the West. It involved dismantling the structures and institutions of the GDR and the implementation of new systems based on principles of democracy, free market economy, and human rights. The Wende also entailed the reunification of families and communities that had been divided by the Berlin Wall, as well as the assimilation of East German citizens into the broader German society.
Furthermore, "Wende" can also be used more broadly in the German language to refer to a general turning point or change in any context. However, its specific connotation relating to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent changes in East Germany remains the most commonly associated meaning of the term.
The word "Wende" comes from the German language and has several related meanings. Its primary meaning is "turn" or "change", and it is often associated with the political and social changes that occurred in East Germany and other Eastern European countries during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The term "Wende" gained prominence after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, symbolizing the shift from communism to democracy.
Etymologically, the word "Wende" can be traced back to the Old High German word "wenden" which means "to turn" or "to change direction". This same root is found in other Germanic languages like English, where "wend" means to "to go in a specified direction" or "to change course".
