The Politburo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany: Further Measures in the Fight against Republikflucht (December 15, 1953)

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II. Tasks of the State Organs

1. The Main Department of Local Organs of the State shall, in collaboration with the State Secretariat for Internal Affairs, present to the Presidium of the Council of Ministers a document with suggestions for improving the work of the district and county councils in the fight against Republikflucht. The Politburo decrees of January 6, 1953, and June 9, 1953, will be the basis of this.
Deadline: January 4, 1954

2. The State Secretariat for Internal Affairs shall issue a directive on the activities of the information offices and of those who work on population policy with the district councils on questions concerning Republikflucht. It shall be stipulated that monthly analyses of Republikflucht and suggestions about measures by the local state organs against Republikflucht must be submitted to the councils. The district must report to the State Secretariat on a monthly basis.

3. To evaluate the reports and coordinate and oversee the work of the state organs, the comrade State Secretary for Internal Affairs will conduct monthly meetings about questions concerning Republikflucht with representatives of the
Main Department of Local Organs of the State
the Press Office
the State Radio Committee
the HVdVP [Main Administration of the People’s Police] and the State Security
the Ministry of Justice
the FDGB [Free German Trade Union Federation]
the FDJ [Free German Youth]
and, where necessary, with additional representatives of central organs.

4. Comrade Stoph is asked to institute close cooperation between the State Secretariat for Internal Affairs and the Main Administration of the German People’s Police on questions concerning Republikflucht.

5. The reporting of the German People’s Police is to be expanded in a way that makes it possible to acquire a realistic overview of Republikflucht.

6. Measures in the fight against Republikflucht must be dealt with in the training of mayors.

7. Questions pertaining to illegal emigration must be dealt with in suitable form in the training of house and street representatives.

8. Organs of the judicial system shall conduct legal proceedings against recruiters and make these proceedings known, especially to workers at the enterprises in question.
responsible: Department of State Administration of the Central Committee

9. The ministries and central organs shall probe the causes of Republikflucht in the enterprises and organizations subordinate to them; concrete measures to fight the enemy’s work and to remove the causes shall be instituted.
responsible: the departments of the Central Committee



Source: SAPMO-BArch, DY 30/J IV 2/2/337, Bl. 49-52, Anlage Nr. 4 zum Protokoll Nr. 83/53 der Sitzung des Zentralsekretariats der SED vom 15. Dezember 1953 [Attachment No. 4 to Protocol No. 83/53 of the Meeting of the Central Secretariat of the SED of December 15, 1953], Reference: Darstellungsband 8, II (Sozialpolitische Denk- und Handlungsfelder) [(Social-Political Spheres of Thought and Activity)], note 45; reprinted in Dierk Hoffmann and Michael Schwartz, eds., Geschichte der Sozialpolitik in Deutschland seit 1945. Bd. 8: 1949-1961: Deutsche Demokratische Republik. Im Zeichen des Aufbaus des Sozialismus [History of Social Policy in Germany since 1945, Vol. 8: 1949-1961: German Democratic Republic. Under the Sign of the Build Up of Socialism]. Baden-Baden: Nomos, 2004, no. 8/119.

Translation: Thomas Dunlap