KQ1: Economic Developments 1949-1961

Question 1

Why was the GDR economy significantly hindered?

Answer 1

1. post-war division meant that it no longer had access to important supplies of coal and steel from the Ruhr
2. Reparations from the USSR
3. loss of labour through migration to the FRG

Question 2

Give an example of harsh Russian reparations

Answer 2

• 25% of all industrial goods produced in the USSR were taken by the Russians
• half of all East German railway tracks taken to the USSR

Question 3

When was the First Five Year Plan?

Answer 3

1951-1955

Question 4

When was the New Course introduced?

Answer 4

1956-1959

Question 5

When was the Seven Year Plan?

Answer 5

1959 - 65

Question 6

What were the aims of the First 5 Year Plan?

Answer 6

• develop heavy industry

- increase living standards

Question 7

Give example of how heavy industry developed under the First Five Year Plan

Answer 7

pig iron rose from 37,000 tons in 1950 to 1.6 million tons in 1955

Question 8

Give an example of how production of consumer goods suffered under the First Five Year Plan?

Answer 8

• 60% rise in industrial goods

- only a 2% increase in production of consumer goods

Question 9

When were the main periods of collectivisation?

Answer 9

• 1950-53

- 1959-1960 = The Socialist Spring

Question 10

Give evidence of increased repression between 1952 and 1953?

Answer 10

The prison population grew by over 30,000

Question 11

What was the New Course?

Answer 11

• slow down in socialist development and more conciliatory economic policy
• increase in production of consumer goods
• discontinuation of collectivisation