Did the GDR damage the left in West Germany?

[buritobr]

Unlike France and Italy, the Federal Republic of Germany did not have a strong Communist Party during the Cold War. During the Weimar Republic, the Communist Party used to have between 10% and 15%. The same is happening to the Linke now. Even in the western states, nowadays, the Linke has more than 5%. During the time Germany was divided, the communists had more than 5% only in 1949. After that, no more than 1%.
There were no political forces on the left of the Social Democrats during the Cold War. Only the Greens, since 1983, but it is doubtful if the Greens are really on the left.
The first pure left-wing government in Federal Republic of Germany was built only in 1998 (SPD+Greens), after the reunification (and this government was not very leftist). Between 1969 and 1982, the Social Democrats needed the Free Democrats. Only in 1972 the SPD had more votes than the Union.

Do you think that most of the Germans disliked the left because they were angry with the USSR, because of the division of Germany?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

No, but it pretty much destroyed the old Commie tradition in places like the Ruhr.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

The RAF probably did more harm.

[Peter the Lefty]

Partially.  The ironic thing is that the region conquered by the Soviets and thus became the GDR actually happened to be one of the biggest (overall) strongholds for the SPD and KPD during Weimar.  But the anti-leftist sentiment created by the GDR certainly helped Adenauer. (as evidenced by slogans like "all red roads lead to Moscow" and others.)  Adenauer even tried to red-bait Brandt.  Once the CDU had been in power for long enough though, it had become credited with the economic recovery and general stability West Germany experienced, and the SPD was seen as "risky" or comprised of "inexperienced" politicians (since none of them had served in gov't).  And the fact that the left ended up being discredited in the East as a result of the GDR didn't help either.  Therein lies the reason why Germany's right always dominates. 

[H. Ross Peron]

That plus CDU/CSU's strong commitment to a social market economy and more centrist roots compared to other parties on the right.