ABSTRACT
U lbricht’s apparent misjudgement over the events that led up to the Berlin uprising and the lack of support for the communist regime it dem onstrated did not lead him to m oderate his attitude or change the regim e’s character in any fundam ental way. The GDR under Ulbricht rode the backwash of de-Stalinization that caused such unrest elsewhere and saw little major change in the institutions or processes of communist rule. The IV Congress of the SED, which opened on 30 March 1954, thus followed the CPSU Statute adopted in 1952 under Stalin in announcing a general claim to party leadership over all sectors of social life. More consum er goods were promised, but priority was still given to the development of heavy industry and food rationing was retained. The pre eminence of U lbricht’s political position was evident and, although the post of SED chairman (previously occupied by Pieck and Grotewohl) was abolished, U lbricht’s title changed from general to first secretary, in keeping with current Soviet practice.
