1949 Merger of dpa with DENA, dpd and SUEDENA is agreed in Goslar on August 18 with a start-up share capital of DM 350,000. The German Press Agency begins operating on September 1 1950 Total share capital is increased to DM 1.2 million, number of employees stands at 752, with annual turnover at DM 11 million 1956 Extraordinary shareholders meeting endorses decision to expand dpa services abroad 1957 dpa European Service begins long wave transmissions. dpa Overseas Service in English begins transmissions on five short wave channels 1958 dpa Bildfunk picture wire replaces postal distribution with long wave transmission 1959 dpa Spanish Service goes into operation 1949 End of the Berlin Airlift Mao proclaims People's Republic of China 1950 Ascent of Annapurna (1st eight thousander) Start of Korean War 1951 Truman signs declaration to end war 1952 Death of George VI, Elizabeth II becomes British monarch 1953 Uprising in the German Democratic Republic 1954 Fall of French garrison at Dien Bien Phu Germany wins Football World Cup 1955 Germany acquires sovereignty after end of four-power occupation 1956 Suez Canal is nationalized 1957 Signing of European Economic Union treaties in Rome 1958 U.S. soldier Elvis Presley on stage in Germany for 1st time 1959 Rebels under Castro take over Cuba