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Life in the GDR: social change, 1962 to 87
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Life in the GDR was secure but restricted. The state provided jobs, homes and welfare, but people could not travel freely or speak openly.
Work, housing and welfare
Employment: everyone had a job; unemployment officially did not exist.
Housing: under Honecker (leader from 1971), a huge programme built new flats, often in concrete prefabricated blocks.
Welfare: cheap rents, food and transport; free health care and childcare.
But there were shortages of consumer goods and long waits for cars.
Housing: under Honecker (leader from 1971), a huge programme built new flats, often in concrete prefabricated blocks.
Welfare: cheap rents, food and transport; free health care and childcare.
But there were shortages of consumer goods and long waits for cars.
Women and education
Most women worked, helped by crèches and nurseries.
Education was free and focused on science and socialist values.
But most top political jobs were still held by men.
Education was free and focused on science and socialist values.
But most top political jobs were still held by men.
Sport
The GDR won huge numbers of Olympic medals for a small country.
Talented children were picked out early for special sports schools.
It later emerged that many athletes had been given drugs, often without their knowledge.
Talented children were picked out early for special sports schools.
It later emerged that many athletes had been given drugs, often without their knowledge.
Why did the GDR invest so heavily in sport?
- Olympic success gave a small country international prestige.
- It was used as propaganda to show socialism worked.
- So talented children were trained in special schools, and doping was used.
Answer: Sporting success was propaganda that boosted the GDR's image abroad and at home.
The GDR guaranteed jobs, cheap rents and welfare; Honecker (from 1971) built many new flats. Most women worked, supported by childcare. Education was free but political. Sport brought prestige through Olympic medals, partly through doping.
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