Theme A Flashcards
When was the State Planning Commission created?
1950
When was the first five year plan in the GDR?
What were its aims?
1951-55
Develop heavy industry
Raise living standards post-war
Surpass FRG
How much was the state budge short by in 1952?
700 billion Ostmarks
What, why, and when were the Work Norms?
1953 shortages of food and bricks
April 1953-
Cut wages by 25% and set higher targets, workers would have to work harder to increase industrial production by 10%
What and when was the Socialist spring in the GDR?
What were LPGs?
How much agricultural land was collectively farmed by 1960?
1959-60
Dec 1959- Grotewohl told CC to initiate forced collectivisation
Peak in collectivisation of agriculture
LPGs were collective farms, set up 1952-53
85%
How many hectares were unused by mid 1953 due to farmers fleeing?
750,000 hectares
What, when, why was the New Course?
After Stalin’s death the GDR were given this document to restore the political situation
They adopted it on the 9th June
Aims: take back April 1953 price rises in subsidised goods, return confiscated ration cards, end Chn discrimination, make more consumer goods
Causes of June 1953 uprising
Stalin’s death- USSR political uncertainty
Growing emigration east to west
May 1952 inner border made it harder to emigrate
USA wants to roll back communism
Although more lenient new course ordered, Ulbricht increased Work Norms!
June Uprising
E.G. Workers revolt
Workers on Berlin Stalinee Project went on strike on the 16th, called for general strike the next day
Lack of clarity in aims: Demands became increasingly political- free elections, no collectivisation…
17th- 1/2 million workers protested
Crushed by Soviet tanks- over 40 killed and thousands arrested
June Uprising consequences
Soviets backed Ulbricht- no more talk of abandoning GDR
Division of Germany permanently confirmed by military alliances: Adenauer was asked to form and FRG army and join NATO (in 1955). In retaliation, Warsaw Pact of satellite states created in 1955.
By how much did steel production in 1955 exceed that in 1950?
2.5 x
How many Ostmarks were spent of welfare/housing subsidies/ utilities after the uprising?
3.8 billion Ostmarks
When was there an emigration high point? What was it?
330,000 in 1953 due to Soviet crackdown on Uprising, Stalin’s death, Work Norms…
What and when was the 13th amendment that the FRG passed?
1960- any emigrant of the GDR would be allowed household subsidies in the FRG
How did the GDR criminalise republiksflicht?
1957- charge introduced for attempted emigration
3yrs in prison
50 thousand arrested for this in 1969 alone!
How many border crossers were there in the 1950s?
50,000
Lived in East Berlin but worked in West Berlin for higher wages
What was the inner border?
May 1952
Forced relocation of unreliable GDR citizens close to the border in Operation Vermin
5km border area needed permission to enter
500m wide demarcation line further restricted
What was Operation Rose?
Night of 21st August 1961 border shut down w/ Soviet and GDR armies
13 Aug barbed wire dance built- explicitly didn’t infringe on W side
Wall later fortified after tense face off at Checkpoint Charlie
Creation of the GDR
May 1949 People’s Congress verified decision to creat new state- need to approve or reject entire list of candidates- only 66.1% approved this list
7 October 1949 GDR formation announced
When was the Ministry for State Security created? Who headed it?
February 1950
Wilhelm Zaisser
What and when were the Waldheim Trials?
April 1950
Inmates of Soviet ‘special camps’ were prosecuted
24 inmates executed in November 1950
What was the SED party examination?
The SED expelled 150 thousand members for non-conformity
1950-51
In what way and when did conflict come to a head between Evangelical Youth Community and Free German Youth?
Spring 1953
50 priests arrested
300 EYC students expelled
What were: The DFD The FDJ The FDGB The GST And what were they controlled by?
For: Women Youth Trade unions Sport and technology By early 1950s every organisation recognised SED supremacy- intended as transmission belts of socialism
why and when was Zaisser removed from head of MfS?
End of July 1953, accused of working with Beria
When and what was the Volkskammer election?
1950
Only candidates were from ‘National Front’ list: of bloc parties like CDU (Christian), SED, DBD (peasant)…
Almost 85% electorate turnout, 99.7% voted for this list
Elections carried a fearful climate w/ purges and bribery
Link between support for SED and welfare provision
What and when was the abolition of Länder?
July 1952
5 Länder replaced by 14 smaller regional organisations called Bezirke with no traditional basis. These were controlled by the SED
Who was Wilhelm Pieck?
President until 1960
Who was Ulbricht?
Party Secretary 1950-71
Who was Otto Grotewohl?
Prime Minister from 1950 elections
When did the People’s Police Become the National People’s Army (NVA)?
1956
Who was Erich Mielke?
MfS/ Stasi chief 1957-89
What was the DSF?
Mass organisation founded 1947
Promoted East German-Soviet friendship
Membership was expected- showed loyalty to USSR
What proportion of public officials were from working class backgrounds due to SED employment of the proletariat by 1950?
49%
From 1952 inner border to 1961 Berlin Wall, how many GDR citizens emigrated to West Germany?
> 3.5 million
How did the GDR and FRG populations change 1950-61?
GDR 1950: 18.5 mil -> 1961: 17 mil
FRG 1950-61 increased to 10 mil, swelled by this influx of migrants
Khrushchev’s ultimatum
November 1958
6-month ultimatum for the West to recognise the GDR’s existence and accept Berlin as a ‘free city’
What was the Hallstein Doctrine?
1955-72
FRG refused diplomatic relations with any country that recognised the GDR
