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[also East German Revolt...]
| State |
Entry |
Exit |
Combat Forces |
Population |
Losses |
| Rebels |
1953 |
1953 |
1000000 |
14000000 |
1000 |
| Russia |
1953 |
1953 |
10000000 |
183000000 |
1000 |
*****
For most of its existence, East Germany has been a model socialist state in
the sense that it has experienced little public dissent. The spontaneous
uprising in 1953 against communist rule in East Germany confined itself to the
most important industrial centers and did not grip the country in the way that
rebellions or reform movements in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, or Poland were able
to do...
In the early 1950s, problems within the country were causing dissatisfaction
among East German citizens. These problems included confusion within the ruling
SED following the death of Stalin, economic pressures resulting from
collectivization, payment of reparations, an increasingly disadvantageous
comparison with West Germany, and resentment of Soviet presence and influence.
Eventually these factors combined to trigger a spontaneous general uprising that
started in East Berlin on June 17, 1953, and rapidly spread throughout much of
the country. The rebellion was quickly suppressed by Soviet troops on June 17.
This short but intense episode had far-reaching effects on the evolution of the
national security system.
The uprising taught the Soviets that the socialist revolution imposed from
without had not been accepted by the German people. The absorption of this
lesson brought fundamental changes to the status of the country. Recognizing
that its economic policy of reparations was dangerous and that communism would
not be a significant force in a unified neutral Germany, the Soviet Union
shelved plans for German reunification and made a political and economic
commitment to the survival of East Germany as a political entity.
For its part, the Ulbricht government also was forced to recognize that it
lacked legitimacy in the eyes of its own people. In the short run, the most
notable response was what could be called "the third purge" in the
summer of 1953. This purge resulted in changes in the top ranks of the SED,
including replacement of Zaisser, the minister of state security. During the
remainder of the summer, 12,000 men of all ranks and grades were dismissed from
the People's Police for "unreliability."
The uprising, which raised doubts in the Soviet Union about the dependability
of the young republic, also resulted in intensified supervision by the Soviet
military, recall of MiG-15s destined for the new air force, and curtailment of
training and other programs. The Soviets continued to restrict military
development in East Germany until the early 1960s, when the country appeared
politically and socially stable enough to receive full support.
Thus East Germany's national security organization was unable to pass its
first serious test. Faced with an internal threat, its security organs failed to
prevent or suppress the uprising. The shock of events, however, had the effect
of forcing both the East German and the Soviet leadership to commit themselves
to the difficult tasks necessary to make the state viable.
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