How did East Germany reorganize Thuringia after World War II?

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Following World War II, all of Thuringia fell within the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. With the administrative dissolution of Prussia, East Germany initially constituted an enlarged state of Thuringia with rationalized frontiers, which incorporated the southwestern part of the former Prussian province of Saxony and all previous enclaves; the capital was established in Erfurt.1

However, in 1952, East Germany moved toward centralized authority and abolished its five Länder (states), including Thuringia. Consequently, the territory of Thuringia was divided among the newly created Bezirke (districts) of Erfurt, Suhl, Gera, Halle, and Leipzig. This administrative structure remained in place until the reunification of Germany, when Thuringia was reconstituted as a state.231