Protestors marching through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

The Uprising of 1953 in East Germany took place in June and July 1953. A strike by Berlin construction workers on June 16th turned into a widespread uprising against the East German government the next day. The uprising in Berlin was violently suppressed by tanks of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (ГСВГ, Группа советских войск в Германии) and the Volkspolizei. In spite of the intervention of Soviet troops, the wave of strikes and protests was not easily brought under control. There were demonstrations even after June 17 in more that 500 towns and villages. The high point of the protests was in the middle of July. 17 June 1953: Protestors marching through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Source: http://www. ... 17 June 1953: Protestors marching through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Source: http://www. ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR), German Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR), was a Communist state that existed from 1949 to 1990 in the former Soviet occupation zone of Germany. ... Berlin (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,387,404 inhabitants (as of September 2004); down from 4. ... Berlin (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,387,404 inhabitants (as of September 2004); down from 4. ... Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (1949--1988), also known as Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (1945--1949) and Western Group of Forces (1988-1990) were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. ... The Volkspolizei (German: Peoples Police) was the East German police force, whose officers were commonly nicknamed VoPos. ...

In May 1953, the Politburo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) raised the work quotas for East German industry by ten percent. On June 15, some 60 East Berlin construction workers went on strike after their superiors announced a pay cut if they didn't meet their work quota, holding a demonstration the following day. Radio In the American Sector directed many of the demonstrations, deciding when and where they would be held, and broadcasting instructions in German. Many protests were held throughout East Germany with at least some work stoppages and protests in virtually all industrial centers and large cities in the country. Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ... SED The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, or SED) was the governing party of East Germany (the GDR) from its formation in 1949 until the elections of 1990, following the GDR governments collapse. ... East Berlin consisted of the Soviet Sector of Berlin and was the capital of East Germany from 1949 to 1990. ... East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR), German Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR), was a Communist state that existed from 1949 to 1990 in the former Soviet occupation zone of Germany. ...

Soviet Tank in Berlin

The original demands of the protestors, such as the reinstatement of the previous lower work quotas, turned into political demands. SED functionaries took to the streets and began arguing with small groups of protesters. Eventually, the workers demanded the resignation of the East German government. The government turned to the Soviet Union, which struck down the uprising with military force. 17 June 1953 in Berlin, Source: http://www. ... 17 June 1953 in Berlin, Source: http://www. ...

It is still unclear how many people died during the uprising, and by the death sentences which followed. The official number of victims is 51. After the evaluation of documents accessible since 1990, the number of victims appears to be at least 125.

Protestor throwing stone against tank

In memory of the uprising in East Germany, West Germany established June 17 as a national holiday (until 1990, when it was succeded by the October 3rd, the date of formal reunification.) The section of Unter den Linden in West Berlin was renamed Straße des 17. Juni. 17 June 1953, Leipziger Street in Berlin: Protestor throwing stones against tanks Source: http://www. ... 17 June 1953, Leipziger Street in Berlin: Protestor throwing stones against tanks Source: http://www. ... West Germany was the informal but almost universally used name for the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 until 1990, during which years the Federal Republic did not yet include East Germany. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... A national holiday is a statutory holiday enacted by a country to commemorate the country itself. ... Unter den Linden (Under the Limes – named for its linden trees which line the grassed pedestrian mall between the two carriageways) is one of Berlins splendid boulevards. ... Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... The Straße des 17. ...