ABSTRACT
Many East Germans feared that the closing of the Republic’s Berlin frontier in August 1961 would lead to repression and renewed austerity. Their worst fears were not realised. Those caught trying to get to West Germany were jailed, and there was some toughening of the official attitude to certain ‘pampered’ groups, such as building workers, who had earned very high wages by East German standards before the Wall. But, on the whole the regime was a little less hard than before. East Germany was on the verge of a mild ‘thaw’ which was to last until the end of 1966. The main features of East German fife in the 1960s were the
spreading of prosperity, more genuine discussions between the rulers and the ruled on important, though mainly non-political matters, coupled with continued rigidity in political and intellectual affairs. The prosperity and a greater measure of international acceptance helped in the consolidation of the regime.
