1.2: The system of government

What were the Landerkammer and when were they abolished?

The Landerkammer (state chamber) was the legislative body which represented the five states of the GDR. It determined the policies at a land level.

It was abolished in 1952 and had less power than the Volkskammer (a sector of it)

What was the Volkskammer? What functions did it perform?

The Volkskammer (people’s chamber) was the Parilament of the GDR.

It was the supreme authority within the GDR. They were to hold a secret ballot and elect by proportional representation.

Represents the interest of East Germany.

How did voting work?

Voters had the choice to either approve all the names on the list or reject them all, they could not approve some or reject some.

Although they were meant to be secret, they usually weren’t and many carried fear as a result of mass purges

What were the roles of the Party Congresses, Central Committee and the Politburo and how did they operate?

Party congress: They had regimal branches and elected member although they had little influence

Cental committee: 80-130 members meaning it was too big to function properly

Politburo: referenced to as Council of Gods and was key in decision making and policies. Included Secretary General, Ulbricht.

What examples of Party organisations were there and what role did they play?

• KVP: Conservative People’s Party

• FDJ: Free German Youth

• DFD: Democratic Women's Federation of Germany