The Worker's Uprising 1953

Question 1

What economic changes had taken place?

Answer 1

-Ulbricht and the SED put in place policies which focused on rapid industrialisation and collectivisation as well as state centralisation and control of all aspects of life in the GDR

Question 2

What social changes had taken place?

Answer 2

-The Lander (6x state areas) were abolished in 1952 and replaced by smaller units called Bezirke->more control over smaller areas
-the Churches were intimidated and hampered in their activities->challenges communist ideology
-control and censorship over education and the media was increased
-the Stasi (secret police) were expanded to suppress political criticism

Question 3

What impact would the social and economic changes have on people?

Answer 3

-impact on people due reminiscent of the Nazi era->people could be more reactive->feeling of wanting to fight back against it
-feeling controlled
-the degree of control is significant
-large economic control

Question 4

How were the middle class impacted by the economic policies?

Answer 4

-if involved in private business and shops suffered from high taxation, administration issues and political persecution->wanted to make it unviable for them to continue with their businesses
-business owners->if they owned a business they were out rightly not communist so the DDR made it harder for them to keep the businesses

Question 5

How were farmers impacted by the economic policies?

Answer 5

-majority of farmers were still independent in the 1950s but received low prices and strict state directives
-fearing forced collectivisation
-many farmers inherited their farms from family for generations so giving that up would have been harder for them to give them up

Question 6

How were workers impacted by the economic policies?

Answer 6

-faced rising prices and food shortages
-wages were strictly controlled
-they were discontent

Question 7

How were refugees impacted by the economic policies?

Answer 7

-large numbers were fleeing as refugees to the FRG
-in 1949 75,000 increased to 171,000 by 1952

Question 8

How was food availability and consumer goods impacted by the economic policies?

Answer 8

-basic foods could only be obtained through ration cards
-consumer goods were not being produced despite media reports of economic success

Question 9

When did people reach boiling point?

Answer 9

1953

Question 10

What triggered the Worker’s Uprising?

Answer 10

-triggered by construction workers in East Berlin->working longer for less money

-death of Stalin in 1953->he was very purist in his control->death causes changes

-in May 1953 in order to meet the economic targets more quickly the government offered a 10% rise in productivity and working hours->triggered strikes in certain cities

Question 11

What did a peaceful protest by construction workers in East Berlin change to? When?

Answer 11

-16th June
-protest the rise in the norms (productivity and working hours)->more workers join in and turned into a protest

Question 12

What did the protestors start making demands for?

Answer 12

-started to make demands such as more democracy and complaints on shortages of goods

Question 13

How reported was the strike?

Answer 13

widely

Question 14

How many protestors were there on the 17th June?

Answer 14

-100,000

Question 15

What percentage of the total workforce protested on the 17th June?

Answer 15

5-7%

Question 16

What was there general agreement from people?

Answer 16

the changes were wrong

Question 17

What was the Martial Law?

Answer 17

-military take over of society, laws, police to restore order->usually because police have lost control->temporary

Question 18

What wasn’t a reason for the failure of the Worker’s Uprising?

Answer 18

government force

Question 19

How did Soviet intervention lead to the failure of the Worker’s Uprising?

Answer 19

-Ublricht appealed for help from the Soviets and the commander in East Berlin deployed the Soviet tanks and troops
-similar orders were given throughout the country imposing martial law->was met with limited resistance

Question 20

How did poor organisation lead to the failure of the Worker’s Uprising?

Answer 20

-it was not a coordinated national uprising
-some strike committees of workers were formed but no arrangements were made to seize power and the strikers were not armed
-no attempted were made to take control of strategic infrastructure eg radio, railway lines etc

Question 21

How did non-intervention by the West lead to the failure of the Worker’s Uprising?

Answer 21

-the demonstrators hoped to attract the attention of the West but they would not risk military intervention during the Cold War
-the East felt abandoned by Adenauer

Question 22

Despite the uprising was Ulbricht’s rule weakened or strengthened?

Answer 22

strengthened

Question 23

What were the consequences of the Worker’s Uprising on the leaders and people involved?

Answer 23

-the ringleaders were identified and the 1,300 people were put on trial->most receiving long prison sentences and 2 death penalties

Question 24

What were the consequences of the Worker’s Uprising on the changes Ulbricht made to the DDR leadership?

Answer 24

-the uprising was blamed on ‘Western agents’->however Ulbricht made changes to the DDR leadership in light of the uprising

Question 25

What changes did Ulbricht make as a result of the uprising?

Answer 25

-2 of Ulbricht’s critics (Zaisser and Herrnstadt) were expelled from the Politburo
-20,000 SED officials were replaced by new ‘party activists’
-the Stasi were given then authority to suppress any opposition and the number of agents increased

Question 26

What did the SED do as a result of the uprising?

Answer 26

-the SED did slow the pace of socialism to appease the public->the work norms were withdrawn, food prices were lowered, consumer goods were introduced and taxes on businessmen/farmers were reduced

Question 27

What did the uprising secure about Ulbricht? What did it result in?

Answer 27

-his position in the DDR and led to admission to the Warsaw Pact as well as being politically recognised by the USSR in 1955->increased stability and led to a decline in refugees