1.3
Formation of the GDR
GDR was known as Stalin's unwanted child
stalin insisted on a gradual road to communism
was not recognised by many countries except the USSR
System of Government
supreme authority lied within the politburo of the SED
In March 1950, The Ministry of State Security was formed and called the Stasi
Volkskammer
members elected by a direct secret ballot
Landerkammer
legislative body which represented the 5 states of the GDR
implement policy at land level
Really, these two groups just approved decisions made by the politburo
Political Control
there was an illusion of democracy
article 6-8 meant that people could be punished for any 'felonious crimes' which could mean anything
GDR ran as a dictatorship
People’s police (KVP) stood at 50,000 strong in 1950
Elections in GDR
In October 1950, the first election was held to establish a permanent Volkskammer /Landerkammer
Voters had to reject or accept all the names on the list
Elections were held in climates of mass fear, such as the purges and bribery
Purges
Stasi grew from 1100 to 8800 from 1950-1952
Anyone who had spent time in the West could be contaminated by capitalist attitudes
Communists associated Jews with capitalists
Paul Merker, a Politburo member was accused of supporting Zionism and he was sent to prison for 8 years
Ulbricht as Secretary-General was the most influential member and all the others were aware from the recent purges what could happen to them if he saw them as rivals