1.1c How successful was the GDR's management of the economy?

Question 1

How many soldiers did the USSR lose in WW1?

Answer 1

20 million

Question 2

How did the USSR take reparations out of the GDR?

Answer 2

Dismantled factories and rebuilt them in the USSR

Question 3

What proportion of the GDR’s railways was taken to the USSR?

Answer 3

50%

Question 4

What was the initial aim of the government in the GDR?

Answer 4

To abolish private ownership with central planning

Question 5

Why was the GDR so economically hindered? (3 ways)

Answer 5

1) The USSR were taking 25% reparations
2) The GDR continued to lose citizens through migration
3) The GDR lost access to materials from the Ruhr as it was now part of the FRG

Question 6

What was the name of the area of land that the GDR lost when Germany split up that contained many factories and resources?

Answer 6

The Ruhr

Question 7

What was the emphasis of the first 5 year plan?

Answer 7

Heavy Industry

Question 8

What 2 things caused worker dissatisfaction at the first FYP?

Answer 8

Long hours

Lack of consumer gooods

Question 9

The production of what 2 things fell below target during the first FYP?

Answer 9

Coal and Steel

Question 10

What was there an increase in the production of during the first FYP?

Answer 10

Lignite (brown coal)

Question 11

Who was the main piece of propaganda during the first FYP and what did he do?

Answer 11

Adolf Hennecke

Increased his output by 400%

Question 12

Why did the focus on heavy in the 1st FYP industry fail?

Answer 12

Lack of resources

Question 13

What was done during the first FYP to centralise state planning and abolish private ownership?

Answer 13

Nationalisation of industry into ‘State Enterprises’

Question 14

What percentage of industry became ‘State Enterprises’?

Answer 14

75%

Question 15

What was the title of the second FYP? (MMA)

Answer 15

Modernisation, Mechanisation and Automation

Question 16

What was the focus of the second FYP?

Answer 16

Consumer Goods

Question 17

What new technology was discovered during the second FYP?

Answer 17

Nuclear Energy

Question 18

How did the government accelerate the nationalisation of industry during the second FYP?

Answer 18

Offered a 50% partnership incentive for people to make their businesses ‘State Enterprises’

Question 19

Why was the second FYP abandoned?

Answer 19

Because Ulbricht suggested that the GDR needed to overtake the FRG

Question 20

What year was voluntary collectivisation introduced?

Answer 20

1952

Question 21

___ of the GDR’s farmland was redistributed to ______ people

Answer 21

1/3 of the GDR’s farmland was redistributed to 500,000 people

Question 22

Who was there resentment towards during collectivisation?

Answer 22

The Junker people

Question 23

Why was there resentment towards the Junker people during collectivisation?

Answer 23

They were seen as having played a large role in the rise of the Nazis

Question 24

What was the most popular reform during collectivisation?

Answer 24

Junker people with over 100 hectares of land had to forfeit it

Question 25

What was the aim of collectivisation?

Answer 25

To increase output by feeding the workforce

Question 26

Why did collectivisation actually lead to a decline in output?

Answer 26

Because they lacked technology and experience

Question 27

Within _ years, only ___ of the GDR’s farmland was collectivised

Answer 27

Within 6 years, only 1/3 of the GDR’s farmland was collectivised

Question 28

How many farmers emigrated to the FRG during collectivisation?

Answer 28

15,000

Question 29

What did collectivisation do to larger farms?

Answer 29

Alienated them

Question 30

What was the ‘Socialist Spring’?

Answer 30

The second attempt at collectivisation

Question 31

What policy was introduced during the ‘Socialist Spring’?

Answer 31

Rationing

Question 32

By how much did crop yields fall under the ‘Socialist Spring’

Answer 32

30%

Question 33

Why was there increasing discontent in the GDR? (3)

Answer 33

1) Housing shortage
2) Rationing
3) Lack of consumer goods

Question 34

Why was taxation increasing?

Answer 34

Due to the cost of guarding the border

Question 35

What group of people voiced their concern over popular discontent?

Answer 35

Church leaders

Question 36

What was the government response to Church leaders voicing their concern over discontent?

Answer 36

The SED reduced their propaganda and travel restrictions

Question 37

What was the main reason for some people still preferring the GDR to the FRG?

Answer 37

The FRG was seen as a haven for Nazis

Question 38

Give 2 advantages of living in the GDR

Answer 38

1) Free education

2) Everyone granted employment

Question 39

What was the trigger for the June 1953 uprising?

Answer 39

Ulbricht demanding a 10% increase in productivity

Question 40

How did the June uprising start?

Answer 40

300 builders working on Stalinallee went on strike

Question 41

How was the message spread of the June uprising?

Answer 41

Western radio stations

Question 42

Give 2 successes of the 1953 uprising

Answer 42

1) The 10% demand was removed

2) There was an increase in some small concessions

Question 43

Give 2 failures of the 1953 uprising

Answer 43

1) Led to Ulbricht using more hardline policies

2) Increase unlikeliness of reunification

Question 44

How did the GDR deal with the June uprising?

Answer 44

Brought in USSR military and tanks to suppress the rebellion