East German Price and Wage Policy under Socialist Central Planning (1950s–1989)

1. First Five-Year Plan sets rigid state pricing

   Jan 1, 1951Labels: First Five-Year, GDR

   • NES

2. “New Course” shifts toward consumer relief

   Jun 11, 1953Labels: New Course, GDR

   • New Course
   • GDR Economy

3. Raised work norms help trigger June 1953 unrest

   Jun 17, 1953Labels: Work Norms, June 1953

   • 1953 Uprising

4. Food rationing ends in the GDR

   May 29, 1958Labels: Food Rationing, GDR

   • Deutschlandmuseum

5. Intershop expands dual-price world using hard currency

   Dec 14, 1962Labels: Intershop, Hard Currency

   • Intershop

6. New Economic System seeks flexible prices and incentives

   Jan 1, 1963Labels: New Economic, SED

   • NES

7. Currency redesign introduces the MDN unit

   Aug 1, 1964Labels: Mark der, Currency Reform

   • DDR Museum
   • East Mark

8. Economic System of Socialism recentralizes reforms

   Jan 1, 1968Labels: Economic System, ESS

   • ESS
   • NES

9. Staatsbank der DDR established as central bank

   Jan 1, 1968Labels: Staatsbank der, Central Bank

   • Staatsbank
   • DW

10. Honecker launches “Unity of Economic and Social Policy”

    Jun 15, 1971Labels: Unity of, Honecker

    • GHDI
    • Britannica

11. 1974 law formalizes Staatsbank as government organ

    Dec 19, 1974Labels: Staatsbank, GDR Council

    • DW
    • Cambridge

12. 1977 coffee shortage exposes limits of subsidized pricing

    Jan 1, 1977Labels: 1977 Coffee, GDR

    • Coffee crisis

13. 1979 price hikes signal stress in consumer subsidies

    Dec 14, 1979Labels: 1979 Price, GDR

    • WashPost

14. Monetary union ends GDR price-wage system

    Jul 1, 1990Labels: Monetary Union, Deutsche Mark

    • Bundesbank
    • Treaty