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The Ulbricht Era, 1949-71
Soviet dictator Stalin died in March 1953. In large portions of the
East German population, particularly among workers suffering under the
high production quotas set by the SED, Stalin's death gave rise to hopes
for an improvement in living conditions and for an easing of political
terror. In an attempt to stave off increasing unrest among the population
as living standards were worsening and production quotas were being raised,
the East German leadership, headed by General Secretary Walter Ulbricht,
announced new economic policies that would end price hikes and increase
the availability of consumer goods. Ulbricht refused, however, to lower
production goals for industry and construction, which had been increased
by 10 percent on May 28, 1953.
On the new parade grounds at East Berlin's Stalin Allee, a symbol of
communist pride, enraged workers assembled in protest on June 16. The
following day, demonstrations were held in most industrial cities of the
GDR. Demands were made for comprehensive economic reforms and political
changes, including Ulbricht's resignation and free elections. Overwhelmed
by such widespread opposition to their policies, the East German authorities
were unable to quell the protests. Soviet military units stationed in
East Germany were called in and, with the help of East German police units,
suppressed the unrest within two days. Order was restored at a cost of
an estimated several dozen deaths and 1,000 arrests. Ulbricht, the figure
largely responsible for the causes of the demonstrations, had triumphed,
but the uprising demonstrated the frailty of the East German regime and
signaled the East German population's "will to freedom."
Born in Leipzig in 1893, Ulbricht had served on the Western Front in
World War I and had joined the KPD in 1919. He advanced quickly in the
party hierarchy, becoming Reichstag deputy in 1928. After Hitler's seizure
of power, Ulbricht went into exile. From 1937 to 1945, he worked for the
party in Moscow. After the war, he returned to Berlin to build up the
KPD under the protection of the Soviet Union. By 1950 he was chairman
of the SED and through a variety of positions ruled the East German state
with an iron fist for the next two decades by successfully eliminating
every potential competitor within the SED leadership.
- Consolidation of the New
State
- Planned Economy
- The Warsaw
Pact and the National People's Army
- The Berlin Wall
- The "Socialist
State of the German Nation"
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