GDR Flashcards
when is the GDR formed? (later than FRG)
October 1949
How did USSR deal with the economy in September 1945?
Confiscated Nazi land and property and redistributed it
what happened between 1945-1946?
banks and factories are taken over under government ownership
some equipment is dismantled and sent to USSR as reparations
experts and scientists were kidnapped to rebuild
Refused to accept the new currency and introdcued the East German Mark
what was the Volkskammer?
the highest institution of government
free and secret general elections (not entirely democratic)
proportional representation
purpose is to represent the people
what is the Landskammer?
represents regions of the 5 different Lander states
in theory it was a multi-party system with two chambers
Claimed to be democratic, because of the Western powers had to play a careful game
guaranteed civil rights- freedom of speech and the press
BUT Soviet control = totalitarian state
Politics, society and economy are all modelled on the Soviet Union
Lacked public support- terror tactics to maintain control (how GDR controlled people)
what is meant by democratic centralism?
decisions taken at the centre are passed down to the people
views of the people should be influenced by the communist party and passed up to the centre
how did ruling by politbureau maintain control in the GDR?
this was led by Walter Ulbricht (party leader)
Wilhelm Pieck (President of the GDR fro 1949-1960)
Otto Grotewohl- prime minister of the GDR (1949-1960)
Many people in the GDR believed that they were building a new system, a new socialist and anti-fascist society that would shake off the horrors of the Nazi past that had arisen from capitalism
how did the demand of loyalty to the USSR maintain control in the GDR?
absolute loyalty to the USSR
SED (Socialist Unity Party) was a guideline for all party members, in order to maintain control
In the first two years, Ulbricht removed 150,000 party members (with help from soviet secret police) (mainly ex-SPD people)
some communists were put on show trials and expelled from the party, or even imprisoned- this removes opposition and maintains control!
what is meant by politburo?
the executive and policy-making committee of a Communist Party
what is the SED?
Social Unity Party
governing party of East Germany from 1949, when East Germany was created
created after the merger of the KPD and SPD
how did party control commission being introduced help maintain control in the GDR?
this was established to watch over the right ideological attitude of all party members, which in effect meant it removed critics of Ulbricht
Power remained in the hands of a small circle of top-ranking officials
how does party pluralism (multiple political parties), maintain control of the GDR?
unlike the USSR, the GDR did allow a certain degree of party pluralism, but it was only done to demonstrate a democratic system
In reality all parties and other mass organisations had to accept the SED’s monopoly of power as the ‘undisputed leader of the workers movement’
how did the judiciary maintain control of the GDR?
DE-Nazification in the Soviet zone was used by the communist leaders to reform the judiciary and centralise the system
by 1950, half of the judges and 86% of public prosecutors were members of the SED
criminal rule was adapted over the years to suppress all opposition
in 40 years, it is estimated that 200,000 people were prosecuted in the GDR for political reasons
the purpose was to intimidate or criminalise all opposition
how did the introduction of the stasi maintain control of the GDR?
they were structured like an army, with a miltary-line hierarchy, ranks and punishments
started in 1950 with 1000 people but rose to 13,000 by 1955
clearly modelled on the Soviet secret intelligence service
how did military forces help to maintain control of the GDR?
the People’s Police (1949)
traditional policing roles but also uniformed parliamentary rapid response units
The National’s People’s Army (1956)
for middle classes- political persecution
farmers and forced collectivisation
workers and strictly controlled wages, despite rising food prices and shortages
what were the benefits to the GDR economy?
less war damaged than the FRG
large areas of agricultural land
what was not so good about the GDR economy?
there was a shortage of raw materials
usually supplied by West Germany
Provinces and vital coal supplies were lost to Poland
Limitations of industrial development- experts had been taken to the USSR
when is the first SED conferance?
January 1949
when is the Stasi created?
February 1950
when does Stalin die?
March 1953
What is the Workers Uprising of 17th June 1953?
An attempt to overthrow Ulbricht and the regime
‘The systematic building of socialism’
The SED and Ulbricht put in place policies which focused on rapid industrialisation, collectivisation as well as state centralisation and control of all aspects of life in the GDR
The economic policies of the GDR had a significant affect in alienating sections of society
Middle classes involved in private business and shops suffered from high taxation, administration issues and political persecution
SED preferred rapid expansion of large nationalised industrial plants
the majority of farmers were still independent in the 1950s but retrieved low prices and strict state directives. They feared forced collectivisation
The workers faced rising prices and food shortages but their wages wee strictly controlled
Basic foods could be obtained through ration cards and consumer goods were not being produced despite media reports of economic successes
Large numbers of them were fleeing as refugees to the FRG
in 1949, 75,000 increased to 171,000 by 1952
when are the Lander abolished and what are they replaced with?
1952
Bezirke (smaller units)
