eastern zone Flashcards
what was the soviet zone structure
centralised communist rule
-5 lander form 1945 - dissolved by 1952
what did the soviets distrust
federalism (in west)
what was the SED and who led it
leading east political party ulbricht
what did the SMAD allow in the east and when
June 1945 - license political parties (puppet democratic parties)
what happened April 1946
KPD + SPD merge to SED - ANTIFA BLOC established - force parties to join
what’s an ANTIFA BLOC
group of political parties against facism w/ similar beliefs - encouraged by east
what did Ulbricht say about SED - evidence against soviets wanting democracy
‘crystal clear must appear democratic but we must have all strings in our hands’
what happened in 1948-49
democracy formally abandoned by Stalin lenninst party of a new type
what was also introduced to show communist control in east
mass organisations - control youth women etc
what were the 3 aims of Ulbricht’s group
- destroy nazism
- create unified working class party under KPD
- occupy key local admin positions
how did communists maintain democratic appearance w/ ulbricbht’s group
arrange appointments w/ respected non communist mayors ( but deputies often communist)
how many SPD in western zone reject SED
72%
evidence of SED moving away from ‘special indecent path to German socialism’
regular pruning in April 1946 - conform to Moscow politics
what did Berghan say about Stalin party of new type
‘soviet zone became copy of stalinist dictatroship’
advantages soviet zone
agriculture + less war damaged
