Germany marks 70 years since anti-communist uprising

70 years ago, an uprising of 1 million people in communist East Germany was crushed by Soviet tanks. Germany marks 70 years since anti-communist uprising {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} What does Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine have to do with the failed popular uprising in the communist German Democratic Republic, which took place on June 17, 1953? {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} It was here that the consequences of the face-off, which included military rearmament and threatening gestures, were especially visible: while the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, received support from the Western Allies and recovered from the material effects of the war remarkably quickly with its free-market economy, the centrally planned economy of the GDR suffered from supply shortages, which led many of its people to flee to the West. Support from the West {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} The Western democracies, under the leadership of the US, shied away from supporting the popular uprising in the GDR 70 years ago, on June 17, 1953. When the people in the GDR rebelled against their government, and simultaneously against the Soviet occupying power, on June 17, 1953, free West Germany provided moral support only.