🚧1.4 Defending the GDR 1949-61
Why did the GDR find it necessary to build the Berlin Wall in 1961?
Describe the scale and causes of emigration from the GDR in the 1950s.
● Emigration
- 1952: GDR to FRG illegal
- 2.5 million East Germans still emigrated
- GDR population decreased from 18.5mil (1949) - 17mil (1961)
- WHO? Young, skilled, educated, ¼ doctors left - these were most dependent
on for economic development
- 1953: Highest number of emigration 330k
● Preventing emigration
- The GDR government specifically allowed doctors to have certain privileges
- E.g. right to travel abroad or advantages for their children in obtaining
preferential university places
- This ensured that the GDR could keep their well trained doctors without them
going to the FRG or emigrating
● Moving to the FRG
- Those moving to west germany were automatically entitled to FRG citizenship
and could receive financial and housing assistance
- 50s + 60s plenty of employment opportunities
- E.g. Western agents were known to enter East Berlin to recruit skilled workers
- This ultimately encouraged GDR citizens by its material advantages of the
west
- WEST = Material advantages
- EAST = Repressive and restrictive existence
● Operation Vermin
- 5km wide restricted zone created between GDR + FRG
- Entire villages were destroyed and watchtowers were constructed + barbed
wire fences
- In order to access the restricted zone, special passes were required (H) only
loyal GDR citizens could live
- Border guards were ordered to shoot anyone who failed to emigrate
- Those who did past to the FRG, were inevitably placed under increased state
surveillance and often suffer consequences such as reduced career or
educational opportunities for their families
● REASONS
1. Social factors
- Search for better life: as higher wages and more access to
consumer goods as easily accessible in FRG
- To reunite was family: as many families were split
- Successful economy in the West: supported by good relationships
with western states and marshall aid
2. Economic factors
- Unrealistic targets from GDR: government insistence on increasing
productivity without increasing SoL
, - Command economy: Low LS + a government insistence on
increasing productivity without increasing standards of leading to
discontent
- Shortages: due to reparations taken by the USSR
3. Political factors
- Poor performance in leadership: unstable compared to FRG
- Labyrinthine bureaucracy: administrative system was messed up
with their strict control which made citizens frustrated
● IMPACT
1. Economically
- Labour Shortage: loss of skilled workers and professional hampered
industrial and economic growth
- Reduced productivity: key industries faced difficulties due to the
exodus of trained personnel
- Increased economic pressure: government struggled to maintain
economic plans due to the declining workforce
2. Politically
- Berlin Wall Construction: 1961 to prevent further emigration,
marking a stark symbol of oppression
- Strain on East-West Relations: it intensified tensions during CW
- Loss of credibility: Allowed FRG to undermine GDR’s credibility and
assert the failings of socialism and increased dissatisfaction with east
german regime (T) undermining its image internationally
3. Social
- Family separation: this created emotional and social hardships
- Loss of young talent: portion of emigrants were young and education
which led to a demographic imbalance
- Heightened surveillance: the government increased the number of
Stasi officers + surveillance to identify individuals trying to emigrate
and their monitoring and control of citizens to avoid emigration,
exacerbating fear and mistrust in society
Explain the crisis of 1960–61 and how it led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
● 1958 crisis
- November: Khrushchev gave an ultimatum to west and demanded that Berlin
should become an international demilitarised free city state governed by the
UN and the withdrawal of western troops from the city
- WHY?
1.Wanted to stop Berlin from causing trouble for GDR and being a
place where people could escape to FRG
2. To secure western recognition of GDR
3. Wanted to stop what he thought were NATOs plans to deploy
nuclear missiles in west germany
- In reality, he asserted that the USSR + GDR would implement the plan
anyways
- USA response: offered to negotiate + Khrushchev visited USA in September
1959 (H) Eisenhower + Khrushchev were unable to resolve as western
powers remained in the city with guaranteed legal rights of access
Why did the GDR find it necessary to build the Berlin Wall in 1961?
Describe the scale and causes of emigration from the GDR in the 1950s.
● Emigration
- 1952: GDR to FRG illegal
- 2.5 million East Germans still emigrated
- GDR population decreased from 18.5mil (1949) - 17mil (1961)
- WHO? Young, skilled, educated, ¼ doctors left - these were most dependent
on for economic development
- 1953: Highest number of emigration 330k
● Preventing emigration
- The GDR government specifically allowed doctors to have certain privileges
- E.g. right to travel abroad or advantages for their children in obtaining
preferential university places
- This ensured that the GDR could keep their well trained doctors without them
going to the FRG or emigrating
● Moving to the FRG
- Those moving to west germany were automatically entitled to FRG citizenship
and could receive financial and housing assistance
- 50s + 60s plenty of employment opportunities
- E.g. Western agents were known to enter East Berlin to recruit skilled workers
- This ultimately encouraged GDR citizens by its material advantages of the
west
- WEST = Material advantages
- EAST = Repressive and restrictive existence
● Operation Vermin
- 5km wide restricted zone created between GDR + FRG
- Entire villages were destroyed and watchtowers were constructed + barbed
wire fences
- In order to access the restricted zone, special passes were required (H) only
loyal GDR citizens could live
- Border guards were ordered to shoot anyone who failed to emigrate
- Those who did past to the FRG, were inevitably placed under increased state
surveillance and often suffer consequences such as reduced career or
educational opportunities for their families
● REASONS
1. Social factors
- Search for better life: as higher wages and more access to
consumer goods as easily accessible in FRG
- To reunite was family: as many families were split
- Successful economy in the West: supported by good relationships
with western states and marshall aid
2. Economic factors
- Unrealistic targets from GDR: government insistence on increasing
productivity without increasing SoL
, - Command economy: Low LS + a government insistence on
increasing productivity without increasing standards of leading to
discontent
- Shortages: due to reparations taken by the USSR
3. Political factors
- Poor performance in leadership: unstable compared to FRG
- Labyrinthine bureaucracy: administrative system was messed up
with their strict control which made citizens frustrated
● IMPACT
1. Economically
- Labour Shortage: loss of skilled workers and professional hampered
industrial and economic growth
- Reduced productivity: key industries faced difficulties due to the
exodus of trained personnel
- Increased economic pressure: government struggled to maintain
economic plans due to the declining workforce
2. Politically
- Berlin Wall Construction: 1961 to prevent further emigration,
marking a stark symbol of oppression
- Strain on East-West Relations: it intensified tensions during CW
- Loss of credibility: Allowed FRG to undermine GDR’s credibility and
assert the failings of socialism and increased dissatisfaction with east
german regime (T) undermining its image internationally
3. Social
- Family separation: this created emotional and social hardships
- Loss of young talent: portion of emigrants were young and education
which led to a demographic imbalance
- Heightened surveillance: the government increased the number of
Stasi officers + surveillance to identify individuals trying to emigrate
and their monitoring and control of citizens to avoid emigration,
exacerbating fear and mistrust in society
Explain the crisis of 1960–61 and how it led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
● 1958 crisis
- November: Khrushchev gave an ultimatum to west and demanded that Berlin
should become an international demilitarised free city state governed by the
UN and the withdrawal of western troops from the city
- WHY?
1.Wanted to stop Berlin from causing trouble for GDR and being a
place where people could escape to FRG
2. To secure western recognition of GDR
3. Wanted to stop what he thought were NATOs plans to deploy
nuclear missiles in west germany
- In reality, he asserted that the USSR + GDR would implement the plan
anyways
- USA response: offered to negotiate + Khrushchev visited USA in September
1959 (H) Eisenhower + Khrushchev were unable to resolve as western
powers remained in the city with guaranteed legal rights of access
