How far had East Germans formed a niche society in East Germany by 1989 official

How far had East Germans formed a niche society in East Germany by 1989 official

1. Was a niche society

   • 1970s
     • Lack of protest, stasi more active
     • People showed 'conformity' to advance themselves educationally, not support for the state
     • Berlin Wall stopped people from leaving as from 1949-1961 2.5 million people had left for the West, a clear sign people were not happy with the regime
     • High membership of socialist organisations
       • FDJ had 2.1 million members
         • People seemed to be conforming to the regime by joining organisations that supported the states, these youth groups were incredibly popular
           • However, membership of such organisations did not mean support for the regime, people merely seemed to support the regime to advance themselves as without conforming, they could not get a job or go to university

2. Not a niche society

   • 1950s
     • 1953 riots, people not simply conforming but rather openly protesting about their disatisfaction with the regime
       • People protested against the increased work norms as a result of the May Directive which increased work quotas by 10%
     • People leaving across the East-West border of Berlin, people openly showing disatisfaction with regime
       • If there was a niche society then people would not be protesting against the state by leaving across the border but would accept their position and keep quiet
     • Before 1950s stasi not very active, people were not afraid to openly protest against regime, not much would happen to them, Berlin Wall 1961 changed this and after 1953, stasi became far more active
     • Resented the high taxation and low wages, people were not happy, Ulbricht provoked the riots by doing this
       • This lead to people openly protesting against the state as they were already taxed highly and thier wages were barely adequate
   • 1989
     • USSR pulled support with the abandonment of the Brezhev Doctrine, no fear of USSR interfereing,and the fall of the Berlin Wall gave people renewed confidence to start protesting
       • Compared to 1953 riots where the USSR got involved, people learned there was no point in protesting, when suport was dropped, they saw they had a chance
     • Rise of political activism in the form of the civic movement and silent marches, people are no longer accepting their position, the introduction of perestroika and withdrawl of support by USSR gave people cofnidence to protest as the stasi could not stop them all
       • USSR coud no longer interfere with satelltie states, no longer economically viable, withdrew monitary aid to GDR
     • People applying for exit visas throughout 1980s, this shows people were not going to put up with the regime and were leaving, which is a form of protest
     • Fall of the Berlin Wall lead to masses of people leaving across the border, up to 2,000 a day in 1989, people not happy with regime, openly showing disasisfaction with regime
   • 1961
     • Berlin wall constructed to stop exodus of people moving across the border who were not happy with the regme, this was a form of open protest against the state
       • 2.5 million people left the GDR between 1949-1961, people clearly not happy with the regime, no niche soceit in 1950s

3. Intro

   • Fear and repression was the main creator of the niche society, after 1953 the level of protest went down as the stasi became more active, in the 1970s where they became even more active a niche society was formed as people did not see the point in protesting. in 1989 the removal of the Berlin Wall and repression led to open protest and no niche society
   • No niche society in 1950s, lack of repression, 1970s was niche society- increased repression, 1989 no niche society- lack of represion