east germany

• had 1/3 the population of west germany
• industrial output was 20% of west germany's
• the USSR still demanded reparations - broke East german economy
• poor living and working standards had led 1000s of East germans to flee to the West - known as republikflucht
• 1953: uprising


  an uprising in Berlin, attacked communist building

  soviet army was called:

  • 600 tanks + 20,000 soldiers
  • 6000 arrested, 20 executed and 500 in jail for life.
• why was life different in east and west germany?


  WG = workers were allowed to be in trade unions and were on the board of directors of companies. They had free speech and democratic elections while EG has one party communist state with restricted speech and bad working conditions.
• why was life different in east and west germany?


  EH = was under the communist influence of the USSR while WG had a democracy and were capitalist.
• why was life different in east and west germany?


  EG feared the Red Army (soviets). 1953 uprising = 600 tanks, 20,00 soldiers, 6000 arrested, 20 executed, 500 jailed for life. number of stasi doubled after.
• why was life different in east and west germany?


  EG had to pay reparations to the Soviet Unions whereas WG could use the $1.4 billion AND they had an abundance of natural resources.

  • Marshall Aid
• why was life different in east and west germany?


  • marshall aid:

  WG benefited from Marshall Aid but EG was communist and could not receive marshall aid,