1945:

June 9

Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SMAD) established

June 10

SMAD Order No. 2: anti-faschist parties and trade unions permitted in the SBZ (Sovietische Besatzungszone/Soviet Occupied Zone)

June 11

Appeal to reconstitute KPD (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands/German Communist Party)

June 15/17

Reformation of the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands/Social Democratic Party of Germany)

June 19

Agreement for common action between KPD and SPD

June 26

Christian Democratic Union founded

July 4/16

SMAD confirms provincial administration for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,

Sachsen, Thüringen, Mark Brandenburg and Sachsen-Anhalt)

July 5

LDPD (Liberaldemokratische Partei Deutschland/Liberal Democrats) founded.

July 14

"Antifa-Block" founded composed of representatives of KPD, SPD, CDU and LDPD

Sept. 3-9

Land reform decreed in SBZ

Oct. 22

SMAD grants Land and Proincial administrations right to issue legally binding directies

Dec. 20/21

Conference of 60 of Central Committee of KPD and of SPD announce a fusion in near future

1946:

Feb. 9/11

Founding congress of Free German Trade Union Alliance (Freier deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) in Berlin

March 7

Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ –Free German Youth) founded in Berlin. Erich Honnecker chair of unified organisation

March 31

Vote of West Berlin district organisations of SPD against joining new Unified party

April 22

Foundation of SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands/Socialist Unity Party of Germany)

Aug 17

SMAD Order No 253: "equal pay for equal" for all male, female and younger workers.

Nov. 11

Publication of a constitutional draft for a German Democratic Republic by party leadership of SED

1947:

February 25

Allied Control Commission Law No 46 dissolves the Prussian state. In SBZ the provinces of Sachsen and Brandenburg now "Laender"

July 3

SED Central Secretariat rejects Marshall Plan aid

Nov 25/ Dec 15

Foreign Ministers Conference in London ends without outcome in German question

1948:

June 18/20

Currency reform carried out in three Western zones. Soviets block all approaches to Berlin

June 26

Airlift begins

July 28/29

SED 12^th Party Congress announces formation of "new type" of party

November 14

German People’s Council (parliament) announces constitution for the German Democratic Republic

1949:

January 25/28

First SED party conference in Berlin

March 19

German People’s Council approves constitution. Election for chamber proscribed on basis of "unity list"

May 12

Berlin Blockade ends

May 23

Grundgesetz (basic law) in West Germany begins to operate

Oct. 7

Foundation of Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR/German Democratic Republic Wilhelm Pieck President and Otto Grotewohl Minister President

Oct 10

SMAD dissolved and powers passed to DDR

1950:

May 15

DDR/Soviet Union treaty reduces reparations by 50%

July 7

German/Polish Treaty fixed Oder-Neise line as border

July 20/24

III Party Congress of SED: Walter Ulbricht general secretary.

Aug 24

ZK (Central Committee) carries out "cleansing" of committee

Sept 29

DDR joins Council for Mutual Economic Cooperation (COMECON)

Oct. 15

Elections to People’s Chamber with 98.44% turn-out and 99.7% vote for SED

1951:

Jan. 30

Grotewohl transmits resolution of Volkskammer to Adenauer calling for a general German constituent assembly

Oct. 3

19 young people sentenced to long jail sentences because of oppositional activity

1952:

Jan 9

Volkskammer passes draft law for all German elections

March 7

USSR submits draft of peace treaty for Germany to Western Allies

May 17

Political trials in Sachsen and Thuringen end with long sentences

May 26/27

West German government joins European Defence Community

July 9/12

Party conference of SED resolves to plan the construction of a socialist state in Germany

July 23

New administrative structure divides DDR into 14 districts

1953:

March 5,

Stalin dies

June 9

Soviet Union forces SED to introduce "New Course"

June 17

Workers’ Revolt breaks out across East Germany