Founding and Early Development of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) (1949–1961)

1. Soviet military rule set up in occupation zone

   Jun 9, 1945Labels: Soviet Military, Soviet Union

   • German Wikipedia
   • SBZ article

2. KPD and SPD merge to form SED

   Apr 21, 1946Labels: KPD, SPD, SED

   • Britannica
   • SED page

3. German Economic Commission created for central planning

   Jun 1, 1947Labels: German Economic, SMAD

   • DWK page

4. First German People’s Congress convenes in Berlin

   Dec 6, 1947Labels: People s, SED

   • People s Congress

5. German People’s Council formed to draft constitution

   Mar 17, 1948Labels: German People, Volksrat

   • People s Council

6. Constitutional draft adopted by the People’s Council

   Mar 19, 1949Labels: People s, constitutional draft

   • People s Council

7. German Democratic Republic proclaimed; constitution takes effect

   Oct 7, 1949Labels: German Democratic, GDR

   • GHDI
   • US Historian
   • Britannica

8. Pieck elected president; Grotewohl forms government

   Oct 12, 1949Labels: Wilhelm Pieck, Otto Grotewohl

   • Britannica

9. Ministry for State Security (Stasi) established

   Feb 8, 1950Labels: Ministry for, Stasi

   • Britannica
   • Stasi page

10. First national Volkskammer election held

    Oct 15, 1950Labels: Volkskammer, National Front

    • Election page

11. Inner-German border “special regime” imposed

    May 26, 1952Labels: Inner-German border, border regime

    • Inner border

12. Bezirke reform centralizes state; Länder effectively dissolved

    Jul 23, 1952Labels: Bezirke reform, L nder

    • Bezirke

13. June 17 uprising crushed by Soviet and GDR forces

    Jun 17, 1953Labels: 1953 Uprising, Soviet troops

    • DW
    • Uprising page

14. GDR becomes founding member of Warsaw Pact

    May 14, 1955Labels: Warsaw Pact, GDR

    • Britannica
    • HISTORY

15. Hallstein Doctrine pressures states not to recognize GDR

    Sep 22, 1955Labels: Hallstein Doctrine, West Germany

    • Hallstein

16. Khrushchev issues Berlin ultimatum, escalating crisis

    Nov 27, 1958Labels: Nikita Khrushchev, Berlin ultimatum

    • Britannica
    • Nov 1958

17. Berlin border sealed; Berlin Wall construction begins

    Aug 13, 1961Labels: Berlin Wall, sector border

    • Mauer site
    • AP News