1.3b Did a combination of repression and support keep the SED in control? Flashcards
Define repression
The act of subduing someone by force to suppress a thought or feeling
Define niche society
A term used to show the slow pace of life in the GDR which allowed more time to complain about things
What reward did border guards receive if they killed someone trying to escape?
Extra pay or a road named after them
How many successful escapes were there over the Berlin wall?
5000
How many people were killed trying to cross the Berlin wall?
200
What was the NVA (National People’s Army)?
A force used to stop protest
How many members of the NVA were there?
123,000
How many people refused to join the NVA through conscription?
15,000
Why were the NVA ineffective? (2)
1) Aren’t really used to stop protests
2) Could be directed to march into Czechoslovakia but didn’t because of war memories
How many members of the Border Troops were there?
50,000
How many of the Border Troops actually policed the border?
30,000
What could happen to a Border Troop if someone escaped on their watch?
Could be punished
What were the KVP?
Preliminary Police
What were the KVP responsible for?
Internal security
What did the KVP fail to stop effectively?
The June Uprising
What did the auxiliary police do?
Voluntary group called out to disorder
How many members of the auxiliary police were there?
400,000
How did some Stasi members actually act against the cause?
They helped out counter-GDR groups, trying not to blow their cover
What was the aim of the Stasi?
To protect against sabotage
How many IMs were there?
175,000
What was operational decomposition?
Shady tactics used by the Stasi to break down opposition over time after international recognition limited their methods
Who became head of the Stasi after the 1953 June Uprising?
Zaisser replaced Mielke
Which 2 terrorist organisations were the Stasi involved with?
IRA
PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organisation)
What is the name of the Stasi prison left off of maps?
hohenschonhousen
To what extent were the Stasi effective in protecting the GDR?
Effective at creating fear and deterring things but not directly protecting the GDR
1 IM in every ___ people
120
Give 4 reasons someone would become an IM
Patriotism
Fear
Career prospects
Self protection
Over __% of IMs worked to report citizens attitudes towards the GDR
80%
Why were the FDJ mixed gender?
To differentiate from the Hitler Youth
What was the official FDJ newspaper called?
Young World
What was the accolade of the FDJ newspaper ‘Young World’?
Had the largest circulation of any newspaper at 1.4 million
What could result from failure to attend the FDJ?
Jeopardising University places
Once they left school, FDJ membership fell to ___
1/3
Why did the FDJ struggle to retain its members?
They struggled to find a balance between rigid control and a relaxed environment
Why were the FDJ effective?
They controlled children outside of school
Why was education ineffective in controlling the population?
There ever present political messages were ignored
What was the name of the main GDR newspaper?
Neues Deutschland
How did Honnecker control Neues Deutschland?
Checked the front cover daily
To what extent did the SED have control over newspapers?
They had control over every newspaper except the Church paper which was only permitted to write religious, non-political messages
How did the SED control journalists?
All professional journalists were state trained and selected based on their loyalty
How were writers controlled by the SED?
Treated as public enemies and were under constant surveillance
Which writer was heavily regulated by the SED?
Reinner Kunnze
What literature did the SED promote?
Classic German literature that contained messages of German achievement
What leading artists was a Stasi member?
Soscha Anderson
What were the most popular TV shows in the GDR?
US shows like ‘Dallas’ and ‘Dynasty’
What film was banned in 1965?
‘The Rabbit is me’
What film had 22 scenes cut?
‘Hands up or I’ll shoot’
What was the unpopular overly political show in the GDR?
The Black Channel
What percentage of audience share did ‘The Black Channel’ have?
15%
Why did Ulbricht stop the publication of the suicide rate?
Because it got so high
In what year was there an assassination attempt on Honnecker?
1982
In what year did protest move towards support for reunification?
1989
