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Report by the SED Factory Party Organization at the VEB Bergmann-Borsig (1955)

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The colleagues are essentially in agreement with the argumentation we supplied. But they refer little to the situation of the workers in West Germany. The letter from Dulles to Adenauer is unknown to these colleagues. They believe that the FDP and the CDU frequently quarrel and then get along again.

In this section, there is also talk that the wages of skilled workers are too low relative to those of semi-skilled workers.

In Technical Management, as well, criticism was expressed about the quality and price of the profiteering goods.

The fourteen-day sale of reduced-price goods was too sudden, which meant that the colleagues were not financially prepared for it. Moreover, certain goods sold out too quickly.

Comrades Schöpp, Biehan, and colleague Wehe were not able to answer the question of why various food ration-cards still exist in the GDR and Berlin after ten years, since they themselves are not convinced of their necessity.

Another point of discussion in Technical Management was that things were better in 1951 and 1952. Back then, there were wage and salary increases or HO price reductions, which have been sorely missed of late.

Through agitators, it was shown that price reductions are possible only if work productivity is further increased.

Some of our colleagues stated that they will not say anything in the future if their names appear alongside their observations and critiques.

In Turbine Construction, the planers discussed that they wanted to work and contribute to fulfilling our plan. But work is scarce for them at the moment.

There were intense discussions about the Christmas bonus. For example, the Christmas money should amount to at least a weekly wage. Why do the fitters earn so much and we transport workers so little?

We are all working, after all, and Borsig in Tegel is placing notices every day, we could start right away.

In Toolmaking there is generally not much discussion about Adenauer’s policy. Colleagues say they are not interested. The colleagues there say that the cost of living is still too high, and that potato prices are too low because the digging up by voluntary harvest deployments did not cost any money. The promised prosperity of the working class has not materialized. The announcement that the card system would be abolished was not kept. In the future, they should not promise so much. The availability of goods is very poor in the Pankow district; the districts Mitte and Weißensee are provisioned much better. There is great outrage about standing in line to shop outside of the enterprise. The negative discussions begin with the heavy rush hour traffic, the bus lines A 45 and A 55. Most colleagues there are annoyed because they can’t get on the bus. The chocolate (profiteering item) is too expensive; it costs only 4 Dm [!] in West Berlin and is still fresher.

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