C.2 Death of Stalin and Berlin Uprising, 1953

Question 1

Stalin’s Death

Answer 1

• 5th march 1953
• caused nationwide grief due to the Cult of Personality
• no successor named. Malenkov, Beria, Molotov and Khrushchev have a collective leadership

Question 2

Berlin Uprising Background

Answer 2

• 1952, 2nd SED Party Conference, announced that: -work norms raised -collectivisation of agriculture -concentration on heavy industry
• most skilled workers had left east germany for the west so more pressure was put on remaining workers
• 9th June 1953, New Course announced, which did not reduce work norms

Question 3

Berlin Uprising

Answer 3

• 17th June 1953, strike demanding that work norms be reduced
• 90,000 people protested in East Berlin and 418,000 in East Germany
• soviet tanks brought in to crush the strike. at least 5 protestors were killed

Question 4

Berlin Uprising Consequences

Answer 4

• ulbricht and the leadership of Germany no longer respected
• party no longer had unity
• particularly workers felt a disconnection from the party–they were the ones who were meant to benefit most from communism

Question 5

Berlin Uprising Propaganda

Answer 5

• East Germany: -photos of injured soldiers with children -exhibitions showing USSR as peaceful, Soviet Tanks–messages of peace
• The West: -commemorate the uprising -hopeful propaganda, that communism can be fought