GDR politics and constitution

What year was the GDR constitution created?

1949

Give three pieces of evidence that the GDR constitution was democratic

• Guaranteed human rights eg. freedom of speech

• Trade unions could call strikes

• Elections every four years with secret ballot, multiple parties, proportional representation, compulsory voting

• Two elected chambers (Volkskammer and Landerkammer)

Give two pieces of evidence that the GDR constitution was not democratic

• Article 6 banned ‘incitement to boycott’

• Article 8 said the state can restrict or revoke personal freedoms

Give three pieces of evidence that the GDR merely had a façade of democracy?

• Only one list of candidates to choose from at elections - National Front drew this up

• Party over state - Prime Minister and President couldn’t make decisions

• Volkskammer only met a few days a year and only approved Politburo decisions

• SED dominated Landerkammer

What did the 1968 constitution change?

• Central role of SED to implement socialism

• Article 21 - civil rights linked to ‘corresponding obligations’

What did the 1974 amendments change?

Emphasised ties with USSR (not with FRG)

What were the two chambers of Parliament, and what was the difference?

• Volkskammer - People’s chamber (lower chamber) proportional representation

• Landerkammer (Chamber of States) - delegates from states

Which organisations had seats assigned in the list of approved candidates in the election?

• Parties - 110 SED, the rest divided between Christian, liberal, and SED-puppet groups

• 155 for mass organisations dominated by SED (eg. FDJ)

What happened to the Landerkammer?

• 1952: transferred power to 15 regional organisations to suppress regional power bases - sidelined

• Dec 1958: Landerkammer abolished

Who were the de jure (in law) leaders of the GDR?

• Pieck (President)

• Grotewohl (Prime Minister)

Who was the de facto (in reality) leader of the GDR?

Ulbricht (First Secretary)

What political change was made in 1960?

Role of President abolished after Pieck’s death, replaced by collective Council of State

Give four ways the SED dominated the GDR political system

• Patronage - promoted W/C so new officials were bound to the communist system

• Ensured party control of the political and legal system and army

• Formation of the Stasi

• Council of Ministers and Volkskammer implemented decisions of Politburo

Give four ways Ulbricht ensured his own dominance over the SED

• First Secretary of the SED

• Democratic centralism - decisions were made in the Politburo and implemented by local party officials

• Cult of personality

• Patronage - ensured next generation of loyal SED members

Where were decisions made in the SED?

Politburo

Which priniple meant that decisions were made in the Politburo and passed down by local officials?

Democratic centralism

When was the first election in the GDR?

October 1950

When was the Stasi created?

February 1950

What was the purpose of the Stasi?

• Combat internal opposition

• Espionage abroad

• Report to the Politburo

Give three groups targeted by the Stasi

• SED members who opposed Ulbricht

• People who had spent time in the West

• Zionist

Give three pieces of evidence of how the Stasi helped to establish control

• Grew to 8800 agents by 1952

• Arbitrary arrests - spread fear

• Some show trials of less senior figures

Give three ways that the USSR contributed to the political system of the GDR

• Helped create the SED with Ulbricht in control

• Influence of ideas, e.g. democratic centralism

• Helped crush 1953 uprising