Yr1 University Presentation covering the reasons for the 1953 Berlin Uprising in East Berlin

1. 17 June 1953
A W
orkers ’
Upri s i ng
th
R c hard M M K
i
c enzi e M – R
A
eadi ng Uni vers i t y
© Uni ver si t y of Readi ng 2006
w w readi ng. ac .
w.
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2. 17 t h June Upr i si ng
• Onl y m
ass ci vi l
di sobedi ence i n
GDR bef or e 1989
• Began over t he
const r uct i on of
“ pal aces f or
wor ker s” i n
St al i nal l ee
1952
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3. W
hat happened?
• 1952 Bui l di ng of
soci al i sm i ncr eases
nor m no pay r i ses
s
• 16 t h June bui l der s of
St al i nal l ee down
t ool s
• M ch t o House of
ar
M ni st r i es dem
i
andi ng
t o speak t o Ul br i cht
of Gr ot ewohl
• St r i kes escal at e and
SED l oses cont r ol
aski ng Sovi et s t o
i nt er vene
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4. Cl i ps
• Upr i si ng f r om W
est Ger m
an poi nt of vi ew
ht t p: / / www. yout ube. com wat ch?v=I M
/
LXKI h7XqA
• Upr i si ng f r om East Ger m
an poi nt of vi ew
ht t p: / / www. yout ube. com wat ch?v=AJy45Dgq7pc
/
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5. Causes
• Deepeni ng of col d war di vi s i on
• I nt r oduct i on of st r i c t bor der cont r ol s
• Gr owt h of r ef ugees :
– June 1952: 16, 883
– Sept 1952: 23, 331
– M ch 1953: 58, 605
ar
• Col l ec t i v i sat i on
• Food s hor t ages
– 176, 000 Tonne M
eat
– 200, 000 Tonne Veg
– 14, 000 Tonne But t er
• I nc r ease of wor k nor m
s
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6. Labour Rel at i ons
• Uni ons AGREED 10% i ncr ease i n wor k nor m
• No space f or di sagr eem
ent
–
–
–
–
Enem es
i
Spi es
Sabot eur s
Agent Pr ovocat eur s
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7. Deat h of St al i n
• Di ed 5 t h M ch
ar
1953
• Cr eat es power
vacuum i n
Sovi et Bl oc
• Al l ows DDR t o
est abl i sh new
cour se 11 t h June
1953
– Takes back pr i ce
i ncr ease
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8. St r i ke
• Ber l i n and
t hr oughout DDR
• No l eader shi p
• St at e of em gency
er
• Sovi et s com i t
m
– 600 t anks
– 20, 000 sol di er s
• DDR com i t
m
– 15, 000 pol i cem
en
• 50- 125 peopl e ki l l ed
• 400, 000 – 1. 5m l l i on
i
t ake par t
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9. Resul t s
D e Lös ung
i
The Sol ut i on
Nach dem Auf st and des 17. Juni
Li eß der Sekr et är des
Schr i f t st el l er ver bands
I n der St al i nal l ee Fl ugbl ät t er
ver t ei l en
Auf denen zu l esen war , daß das
Vol k
Das Ver t r auen der Regi er ung
ver scher zt habe
Und es nur dur ch ver doppel t e
Ar bei t
zur ücker ober n könne. W e es da
är
Ni cht doch ei nf acher , di e
Regi er ung
Löst e das Vol k auf und
W t e ei n ander es?
ähl
Af t er t he upr i si ng of t he 17t h
of June
The Secr et ar y of t he W i t er s’
r
Uni on
Had l eaf l et s di st r i but ed i n t he
St al i nal l ee
St at i ng t hat t he peopl e
Had f or f ei t ed t he conf i dence of
t he gover nm
ent
And coul d wi n i t back onl y
By r edoubl ed ef f or t s. W d i t
oul
not be easi er
I n t hat case f or t he gover nm
ent
To di ssol ve t he peopl e
And el ect anot her ?
Ber t ol d Br echt
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10. www. ger m
anwar f i l m co.
.
uk
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