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In what ways did German society change?

In what ways did German society change?. Importance of the SED. Organisations led and controlled by the party leaders ‘Democratic centralism’ strict hierarchical structures and no room for decision making within the party ‘ T he undisputed leader of the workers’ movement’. Secret Police.

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In what ways did German society change?

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  1. In what ways did German society change?

  2. Importance of the SED • Organisations led and controlled by the party leaders • ‘Democratic centralism’ strict hierarchical structures and no room for decision making within the party • ‘The undisputed leader of the workers’ movement’

  3. Secret Police • Stasi • Closely modelled on Soviet secret intelligence service • By 1955 13,000 staff • Bigger than the Gestapo • Informal members • Could be arrested without charge

  4. Upward social mobility • Be politically committed to the system • ‘Socialist intelligentsia’ committed to the new system: the professional classes

  5. Welfare • Free health care • Pensions • Day care • Unemployment benefit not provided

  6. Mass Organisations • State controlled Free German Trade Union League • Virtually every worker a member • Run by the state and controlled by SED policies • Represented workers interests: organising holidays in trade union owned hotels, hostels across the GDR

  7. Democratic Women’s League of Germany Cultural, creative and artistic pursuits • Society for Sport and Technology German Gymnastics and Sports League • German-Soviet Friendship Society foster food relations between Germans and former arch enemies • State run youth organisations: Free German Youth

  8. "Free German Youth: The fighting reserve of the SED."

  9. "The GDR: Our Socialist Fatherland."

  10. The poster for Stalin's 73rd birthday in 1952. The text translates as: "Long live the standard bearer of peace. the best friend of the German people."

  11. Religion and the Churches • 17 million Protestant • 1 million Catholic • Marxist view of religion: ‘sign of an oppressed creature’ and was doomed to ‘wither away’ under the new Communist society • Despite good relations between some priests and pastors, the SED helped the ‘withering’

  12. At first seemed exempt from changes made by communist authorities. • Church owned land wasn’t taken in the land reform of 1945

  13. But.... • Religious instruction removed from the school curriculum • 1950s confrontations between the state and the churches, SED campaign against Protestant youth group

  14. Jungendweihe • Jungendweihe: youth dedication service imposed 1954. • It was a secular: incompatible with confirmation and commitment to God

  15. Jungendweihe • Those who refused would be discriminated against in school and prevented from going on to post compulsory education • Church eventually conceded that the Jungendweihe was compatible with confirmation • Page 151 Jungendweihe oath

  16. Youth • Free German Youth: fight against Western influences • Give military training • Support community projects to build up the socialist economy: harvest work and basic building work

  17. Youth and Education • Compulsory to learn Russian • Schools to have close links with industry. Twinning arrangements between schools and factories meant that young people gained practical work experience • Generous scholarships

  18. Free German Youth organisation, 14-25 • Ernst Thalmann Young Pioneers 6-14 • Camp trips, adventurous outgoings • Trips to Buchenwald where Thalmann had been murdered. He was seen to be a leader of anti-fascist resistance

  19. Alternate youth • 1950s and 1960s culture: Beatles, Elvis very popular • SED: anti-American • Radio station DT64 played 40% Western music

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