1956 - 6,300 collective farms; 23% farm land

1952 - 1,900 collective farms; 3% farm land

1954 - 5,100 collective farms; 14% farm land

1958 - 9,600 collective farms; 37% farm land

1960 - 19,300 collective farms; 84% farm land

Widespread resentment towards Junker social class, they were seen as having played a role in the rise of the Nazis and exploiting agricultural workers.

Early in Soviet Era, made Junker landowners with over 100 hectares of land forfeit it.

This land was redistributed to peasants, small farmers and refugees.

Total of 1/3 of GDR farmland was reallocated to over 500,000 beneficiaries.

Owners of small and medium farms could keep their land to try and prevent significant opposition.

Post war reforms had been popular but agricultural production had suffered.

This was due to a lack of machinery and livestock, resentment at forced requisition of food, lack of farming experience of those given land.

These problems led to significant numbers of farms being abandoned.

1952 - SED began voluntary collectivisation to try and increase food supplies, more efficient use of rural workers and machinery.

Within 6 years, only 1/3 of GDR farmland had been collectivised.

Collectivisation was an incentive to small farms to get real financial benefits and gains. But larger farms stood to lose lots of land.

Dissatisfaction of rural workers shown by 15,000 farmers who emigrated to FRG in early 1950s.

Economic demands and a more secure political position led Ulbricht to push for a second attempt at collectivisation.

This second collectivisation became known as the 'Socialist Spring'

Enforced by denying reluctant farmers access to collective machinery and pushing for high targets.

Individuals who opposed were arrested and their land taken by the state.

Short-term impact was a disaster. Crop yield fell from 1960 to 1961 by 30%. The fall in productivity was mainly due to increase in migration of farmers West.

1961 - food rationing was introduced on some items due to shortage of farm workers.