 Subsequent to German reunification in 1990 the descendants of expropriated pre-war landowners challenged the legal basis of Allied occupying power in respect of the Soviet-instigated East German land reform; seeking through the German courts to dispossess the descendants of the post-war beneficiaries of the reform programme, or otherwise to be granted compensation at current market value.Following a succession of four cases being brought before the Federal Constitutional Court over a decade, an appeal was eventually made to the European Court of Human Rights in 2005, who found in favour of the legality of the Allied occupation.The postwar occupation of Germany was found to have been 'an occupation "sui generis"' which had 'conferred powers of sovereignty' on the Allied Powers.