Politics in the GDR

Question 1

How did the GDR’s constitution appear similar to the West?

Answer 1

it claimed to be temporary, creating a provisional state that was waiting for reunification

Question 2

How was the GDR’s constitution different to that of the West?

Answer 2

the system was based on democratic centralism

Question 3

What parliament did the constitution establish?

Answer 3

the Volkskammer, which claimed to represent the people

Question 4

Why was the Volkskammer not totally democratically elected?

Answer 4

the number of seats for each party was allocated before each election

Question 5

Who were each of these parties increasingly under the control of?

Answer 5

the SED (the leading party) even if there was a formal pretence of a multi-party system

Question 6

What was the Länderkammer?

Answer 6

the Upper House

Question 7

What was the Upper House?

Answer 7

the Länderkammer, which represented the five regions

Question 8

What was the President?

Answer 8

the formal head of state
put in place initially but then replaced by the Council of State in 1960

Question 9

What was there also?

Answer 9

a prime minister, but they played a less significant role than the general secretary of the SED

Question 10

In reality, where did power remain?

Answer 10

With the Communist Party and its General Secretary, Walter Ulbricht; the Politburo, the Central Committee & the local party units

Question 11

What further changes, which served to strengthen the position of the Communist Party, were also implemented?

Answer 11

the Länder were abolished in 1952 + replaced by the Bezirke (smaller units) which were easier to control

the Upper House was abolished in 1958

Question 12

When was the Länder abolished?

Answer 12

1952
replaced by smaller units which were easier to control

Question 13

When was the Upper House abolished?

Answer 13

in 1958

Question 14

How did the Party gain further control?

Answer 14

by the creation of a ‘state within a state’
the establishment of the Stasi in 1950
the threat of Soviet tanks + troops which had remained stationed in the country since the end of WW2

Question 15

Who were the Stasi supported by?

Answer 15

the ‘People’s Police in Barracks’ which became the ‘National People’s Army’ in 1956

the regular police + border guards

Question 16

What does the system of democratic centralism mean?

Answer 16

based on Marxist-Leninist view
decisions were taken at the centre + passed down and implemented below
Communist ideals and the Party were to influence those at grass roots

Question 17

Why did some people believe that democratic centralism was better than what they had before?

Answer 17

because they argued that many people had supported Hitler and needed to be re-educated as they could not be trusted

Question 18

What were the signs of growing unrest before the events of June 1953?
(long term causes)

Answer 18

many disapproved of the stricter border controls, enforced collectivisation & the pressure to increase productivity
all of which was furthered in the 1952 announcement ‘Building of Socialism’

Question 19

What encouraged unrest ?
(short term causes)

Answer 19

the death of Stalin (Mar 1953)
the apparent promise of greater freedoms with the New Course, which was circulating in Moscow

Question 20

When did Stalin die?

Answer 20

March 1953

Question 21

What was the ‘Building of Socialism’ ?

Answer 21

a policy that emphasised increasing productivity and rapid change

Question 22

Why was there an uprising in 1953?

Answer 22

Ulbricht called to Moscow & told his policies were causing disquiet, changes were necessary
however contradictory announcements made by East German Politburo made matters worse
Middle Class were reassured, workers were told their conditions would be made worse
changes were announced before there had been attempt to convince people of such necessities through gov-controlled press

Question 23

What were workers told? (which led to the 1953 Uprising)

Answer 23

their conditions would become worse as productivity would have to rise by 10%, but wages would remain the same

Question 24

Which of Ulbricht’s policies were causing disquiet + change was necessary?

Answer 24

his policies on border controls, collectivisation + increased productivity

Question 25

When was the Uprising?

Answer 25

16th June 1953

Question 26

What happened in the 1953 Uprising?

Answer 26

Workers on the Stalinallee went on strike + demanded an end to increased working hours for no more pay
there was a call for a general strike, the next day thousands of workers joined in
they demanded the end of Ulbricht’s economic policies, his removal & democratic elections

Question 27

What did the Workers in the uprising/general strike demand?

Answer 27

the end of Ulbricht’s economic policies, his removal and democratic elections

Question 28

What did Ulbricht do, in reaction to the Uprising?

Answer 28

fearful of the loyalty of his own security forces + concerned for his own position, he called on Soviet forces to crush the rising

Question 29

What were the positive impacts of the 1953 Uprising?

Answer 29

although it was crushed, the protesters did win concessions
the increase in working hours was ended
more consumer goods were to be produced to improve living standards

Question 30

What were the negative impacts of the 1953 uprising?

Answer 30

The SED became more worried about potential unrest & adopted a harder line, increasing the powers and size of the Stasi
Ulbricht’s power was strengthened
it became apparent that the West would not intervene to help
Drew East Germany closer to the Soviet bloc

Question 31

Why was Ulbricht’s power strengthened, as a result of the 1953 Uprising?

Answer 31

as it was believed that any weakening of his position would have been a sign of giving in to the protesters

Question 32

What were the aims of the GDR?

Answer 32

To create a socialist paradise based on Marxist-Leninist ideology, and socialist equality

embedding socialism in East Germany, as a soviet satellite state