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Joesom333 added the descrpition "This article is about the state that existed prior to German reunification known as the Federal Republic of Germany or West Germany. For the present-day Federal Republic of Germany, see Germany" I want to stress and repeat that it is not a former state. The English Wikipedia has decided to use the template "former state/country", though it descripes a certain period of a state that is existing without legal disruptions till today. This is clearly formulated in the article, hence ok. Any formulation that the state ceased to exist is wrong and utmost missleading. Nillurcheier (talk) 07:51, 28 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Nillurcheier: Should we still use Template:About to differentiate this period from the article on modern-day Germany? Joesom333 (talk) 19:34, 28 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Joesom333: I'd prefered to do so. But since I'm not a native speaker I leave the decision to others.--Nillurcheier (talk) 13:12, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

How would you like the template to read? I am a native English speaker. Joesom333 (talk) 16:22, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Nillurcheier: Check out my edit (using about template). Is it better? Joesom333 (talk) 20:16, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Your edits were horrible. It made it seem as if West Germany still exists. I reverted back to the last stable version. Dimadick (talk) 08:59, 2 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I only did that because @Nillurcheier said, The English Wikipedia has decided to use the template "former state/country", though it descripes a certain period of a state that is existing without legal disruptions till today. (emphasis added). Also, I do not appreciate you saying that my edits "are horrible." I am going to get a third opinion on this issue. Joesom333 (talk) 16:51, 2 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I do not know enough about templates. But yes, the country which was then named West Germany still exists. Nillurcheier (talk) 20:07, 2 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

There might be a linguistic confusion, @Nillurcheier. When an English speaker says West Germany, we are typically referring to a period of the state in which there was a dispute between Free West Germany and the Communist DDR. Although both states were united, we view West Germany and modern-day Germany to be two separate geopolitical phenomena. Joesom333 (talk) 00:49, 3 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Nillurcheier, I requested a third opinion Joesom333 (talk) 01:16, 3 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I am aware of the usage of "West Germany" in English and will not comment, since this is something the English speaking community has to decide. However beyond any wording, an encyclopadia must not make false statements, eg that "West Germany" refers to a "former state". --Nillurcheier (talk) 09:00, 3 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Nillurcheier to what extent is the current Federal Republic of Germany just an enlarged BRD? The capital has moved, there are more provinces, but has much else changed? --Louis P. Boog (talk) 20:40, 3 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

100%. The constitution, all legal and administrative entities stayed the same. You might compare it to the U.S. when Alaska joint the nation. You might refer to the 2+2 treaty that reestablished full sovereignity as the most relevant difference. Nillurcheier (talk) 07:42, 4 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

There is a dispute between editors about how to use the about template to differentiate this article from modern-day Germany. 17:48, 3 May 2023 (UTC) Joesom333 (talk) 17:48, 3 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Any diffs or other information? CMD (talk) 07:33, 4 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

For more information, see the above discussion on this Talk Page, entitled "Not a 'former state.'" Joesom333 (talk) 14:14, 4 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Nillurcheier

so as request-for-comment volunteer, I'd say "West Germany" is no more, but BRD lives on, and "West Germany" was just informal English language usage. --Louis P. Boog (talk) 19:15, 4 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Should we close this rfc?Joesom333 (talk) 01:49, 13 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]