Conclusion

Abstract

Although isolated strikes continued into July 1953, the uprising in the GDR was effectively over as soon as Soviet tanks arrived to restore order in the late afternoon of 17 June 1953. By the evening, approximately 90 people lay dead. Approximately 80 of these died while taking part in the protests or were simply passing by the wrong place at the wrong time. Up to 15 of those killed were members of the various state security forces (Kowalczuk, 2003, p. 104). A further 18 people were executed by the Soviet military authorities between 18 and 22 June 1953 for the role that they had allegedly played in the unrest. In fact, on the morning of 17 June 1953 the Soviet leadership had ordered that 18 people be executed to deter further unrest (Kowalczuk, 2003, p. 245). In the two weeks that followed the uprising approximately 10,000 people were arrested. However, many of these were released shortly afterwards. And apart from two death sentences and three life sentences, the 1,800 people tried and convicted of crimes relating to the uprising received relatively mild sentences. Perhaps in fear of popular reaction, Erich Mielke, then deputy head of the Stasi, had ordered on 23 June 1953: ‘Mass reprisals are prohibited’ (Kowalczuk, 2003, p. 251).