Political Rivalry and the Berlin Wall
- Both governments try to defame each other with political speeches and propaganda
- “Erfüllungsgehilfen” (FRG: USA, GDR: Sowjetunion)
- Secret services try to reveal any scandal
- E.g NS-past of politicans
- Stalin refuses further negotiations with FRG and allies
- Starting to from GDR in his interest
National uprising on June 17th 1953
Socialism “as planned” (by Stalin and SED leadership)
- Breakup of five states → creation of 14 centralized districts
- Militarization
- Operational dispossessions (“betriebliche Enteigung”)
- Collectivization in farming
- Reduction of wages
First strike in Berlin (16th June 1953)
The national strike on June 17th, the entire worker class protests against the 10% reduced wages.
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Counterstrike
The GDR government uses police forces and soviet tanks to stop the demonstrators
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Outcome
About 10,000 people get arrested and convicted SED members feel insecure → revolutionary thoughts mustn’t intensify.
The government says that it was a “faschistischer Putchversuch” organiced by FRG government and secret service.
The Berlin Wall
Especially young people leave the GDR to find freedom and prosperity.
1961: GDR close to economical breakdown as too many people are leaving the state.
Night of 13th August 1961: Start to build a wall alongside their border in Berlin.
Following weeks: Inner German border (1400 km) is divided by barbed wire, mines and spring guns
(Todesstreifen)
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