Original: In 1956 , upon formal establishment , East Germany 's armed forces were named the Nationale Volksarmee ( National People 's Army ) , most of whom , with materiel , were incorporated to the present-day Bundeswehr when the German Democratic Republic was incorporated to the Federal Republic of Germany in the German reunification of 1990 .
Simplified: When East Germany ( the German Democratic Republic ) was incorporated into '' West Germany '' ( the Federal Republic of Germany ) in 1990 , much of the Volksarmee property and some of the staff were also incorporated into the Bundeswehr .