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Home , Karl Schirdewan, Leonid Govorov, Nikolai Bulganin, Pavel Yudin, Samuel Reber

UPRISING IN EAST 1953

THE , THE GERMAN QUESTION, AND THE FIRST MAJOR UPHEAVAL BEHIND THE

Compiled, edited and introduced by CHRISTIAN F. OSTERMANN

Editorial coordination by MALCOLM BYRNE

• CEU PRESS * i > CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY PRESS CONTENTS

Preface by Charles S. Maier, xv Introduction and Acknowledgements xix Acronyms and Abbreviations xxvii Chronology of Events xxxi

PART ONE THE ORIGINS OF THE CRISIS

Introduction 1 Document No. 1: Soviet and East German Minutes of Conversations between Josef Stalin and SED Leaders in the GDR, 1 April and 7 April 1952 22 Document No. 2: CPSU CC Resolution Approving the Deployment of Border Guards along the Eastern Border of the GDR, 2 January 1953 43 Document No. 3: Memorandum of Discussion at the 136th Meeting of the National Security Council, 11 March 1953 44 Document No. 4: Draft Instructions for General Vasilii Chuikov and Vladimir Semyonov Regarding GDR Control of Borders, 18 March 1953 50 Document No. 5: Memorandum by Ivan Tugarinov, "On the Western Powers' Policy Regarding the German Question," 18 April 1953 52 Document No. 6: Memorandum on the German Question, from Georgii Pushkin and Mikhail Gribanov to , 18 April 1953 67 Document No. 7: Soviet Foreign Ministiy Memorandum, "Regarding Further Measures of the Soviet Government on the German Question," 28 April 1953 71 Document No. 8: Cable from N. Spencer Barnes to U.S. Department of State Reviewing Developments in the GDR since Stalin's Death, 30 April 1953 74 Document No. 9: Memorandum from Vladimir Semyonov to Vyacheslav Molotov Evaluating the Prospects for a Successful Resolution of the German Question, 2 May 1953 82 Document No. 10: Report on 4 May Disturbances at the Tobacco Depot in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 7 May 1953 86

VI1 Document No. 11: USSR Foreign Ministry Draft Memorandum, "On Further Soviet Government Measures Pertaining to the German Question," 8 May 1953 90

Document No. 12: Memorandum from the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs to Vladimir Semyonov, "On the Question of Preventing the Defection of Inhabitants from the GDR to ," 15 May 1953 97

Document No. 13: Memorandum from General Vasilii Chuikov, , and Ivan Il'ichev to Georgii Malenkov Critically Assessing the Situation in the GDR, 18 May 1953 100

Document No. 14: CIA Report Evaluating Vladimir Semyonov's Appointment as Soviet High Commissioner for Germany, 29 May, 1953 110

Document No. 15: Cable from Ambassador Charles Bohlen to regarding the Transfer of Soviet Control in to Soviet High Commissioner Vladimir Semyonov, 29 May 1953 111

Document No. 16: Materials for a Meeting of the Organizational Secretariat of the CPCz CC, with Attached Report on Party Activities in Plzefi in Connection with the Events of 1 June 1953, 31 July 1953 113

Document No. 17: Radio Free Europe Report on the Strikes in Plzen during Early June 1953, 8 September 1953 128

Document No. 18: USSR Council of Ministers Order "On Measures to Improve the Health of the Political Situation in the GDR," 2 June 1953 133

Document No. 19: 's Notes of Meetings between East German and Soviet Leaders in , 2—4 June 1953 137

Document No. 20: SED CC Politburo Minutes Discussing Moscow's Directives for the New Course, 6 June 1953 139

Document No. 21: Cable from Samuel Reber to U.S. Department of State Outlining U.S. Perspectives on Four-Power Talks, 13 June 1953 142

Document No. 22: Transcript of Conversations between the Soviet Leadership and a Hungarian Workers' Party Delegation in Moscow, 13 and 16 June 1953 144

Document No. 23: Letter from Lavrentii Beria to Georgii Malenkov Reflecting on the Events of Spring 1953, 1 July 1953 155

Document No. 24: Transcript of the CPSU CC Plenum Meetings Regarding Beria's Views on the German Question in Spring 1953, 2-3 July 1953 (Excerpts) 158

via PART TWO THE UPRISING

Introduction 163 Document No. 25: Situation Report from Vladimir Semyonov and to Vyacheslav Molotov and , 17 June 1953, 7:26 a.m. Moscow Time (5:26 a.m. CET) 181 Document No. 26: Situation Report from Vladimir Semyonov and Andrei Grechko to Vyacheslav Molotov and Nikolai Bulganin, 17 June 195 3, 11:15 a.m. CET 183 Document No. 27: Cable from the Czechoslovak Mission in to Foreign Minister Vaclav David, 17 June 1953, received 1:45 p.m. CET 185 Document No. 28: Radio Telegram from Vladimir Semyonov Providing Situation Report to Vyacheslav Molotov and Nikolai Bulganin, 17 June 1953, as of 2:00 p.m. CET 186 Document No. 29: Situation Report from the Czechoslovak Mission in Berlin' to Foreign Minister Vaclav David, 17 June 1953 188 Document No. 30: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 17 June 1953, received 6:30 p.m. Moscow Time (4:30 p.m. CET) 190 Document No. 31: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 17 June 1953, as of 5:30 p.m. CET 192 Document No. 32: Cable from Cecil Lyon to U.S. Department of State Relaying Minutes of the First Meeting of the Western Military Commandants in Berlin, 17 June 1953, 6:00 p.m. CET 194 Document No. 33: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 17 June 1953, as of 11:00 p.m. Moscow Time (9:00 p.m. CET) 196 Document No. 34: Cable from Cecil Lyon to the State Department Reporting on Afternoon Meeting of the Western Commandants, 17 June 1953, 9:00 p.m. CET 198 Document No. 35: Telephonogram from Vladimir Semyonov and Marshal Vasilii Sokolovskii to Vyacheslav Molotov and Nikolai Bulganin Reporting on the Situation in , 17 June 1953, as of 11:00 p.m. CET 200 Document No. 36: Correspondent P. Naumov to Dimitrii Shepilov, "Report on the Events in Berlin on 16 and 17 June 1953," 22 June 1953 202 Document No. 37: Situation Report from Marshal Vasilii Sokolovskii and Marshal to Nikolai Bulganin, 18 June 1953, 2:05 a.m. Moscow Time (12:05 a.m. CET) 208 Document No. 38: Psychological Strategy Board Memorandum from John M. Anspacher to George A. Morgan, 17 June 1953 210

IX Document No. 39: Cable from John Foster Dulles to HICOG Bonn on the Propaganda Value of the East Berlin Demonstrations, 17 June 1953, 7:02 p.m. EST (18 June 1953, 1:02 a.m. CET) 213 Document No. 40: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 18 June 1953, as of 8:00 a.m. Moscow Time (6:00 a.m. CET) . 214 Document No. 41: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 18 June 1953, as of 1:00 p.m. Moscow Time (11:00 a.m. CET) 216 Document No. 42: Telephonogram from Vladimir Semyonov and Vasilii Sokolovskii to Vyacheslav Molotov Reporting on the Situation in East Berlin, 18 June 1953, as of 2:00 p.m. CET 217 Document No. 43: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 18 June 1953, as of 6:00 p.m. Moscow Time (4:00 p.m. CET) 219 Document No. 44: Telegram from Cecil Lyon to U.S. Department of State Reporting on Developments in Berlin, 18 June 1953, 7:00 p.m. CET 220 Document No. 45: CIA Current Intelligence Review Analyzing the "Communist 'New Look'" and "Recent Unrest in Eastern Europe," 18 June 1953 222 • Document No. 46: Minutes of Discussion at the 150th Meeting of the National Security Council on 18 June 1953, 19 June 1953 225 Document No. 47: Report from KGB Resident in Berlin Col. Ivan Fadeikin to Marshal Vasilii Sokolovskii, 19 June 1953 232 Document No. 48: Telephonogram from Vladimir Semyonov and Marshal Vasilii Sokolovskii to Vyacheslav Molotov and Nikolai Bulganin Reporting on the Situation in East Berlin, 19 June 1953, 3:35 p.m. CET 236 Document No. 49: CPCz Information Bulletin on Czechoslovak Reaction to the Events in East Germany, 19 June 1953 237 Document No. 50: Order from the Polish Minister of State Security, to Regional Branches Outlining Steps to be Taken to Limit Spillover of Events in East Germany, 19 June 1953 241 Document No. 51: CIA Current Intelligence Digest, "Comment on Berlin Rioting," 19 June 1953 243 Document No. 52: Situation Report from Andrei Grechko and A. Tarasov to Nikolai Bulganin, 20 June 1953, as of 10:00 a.m. Moscow Time (8:00 a.m. CET) 244 Document No. 53: Special Report No. 2 of the WUBP in Wroclaw (Poland), Regarding Spillover from Events in Berlin, 20 June 1953 245 Document No. 54: Memorandum from Karl Schirdewan to First Secretaries of the District Leaderships of the SED, 21 June 1953 247 Document No. 55: Diary Entry from U.S. HICOG James B. Conant on the Effects of East Zone Troubles on Soviet Policy, 21 June 1953 248 Document No. 56: CIA Current Intelligence Bulletin on Comments by Charles Bohlen and the Deployment of Soviet Troops, 21 June 1953 249 Document No. 57: CPSU CC Memorandum to the SED CC, Enclosure to Minutes No. 40 from the SED Politburo Session of 21 June 1953, 23 June 1953 251 Document No. 58: Minute from Selwyn Lloyd to , Reflecting British Perspectives on the Berlin Uprising, 22 June 1953 252 Document No. 59: Special Report No. 4 of the WUBP in Wroclaw (Poland), Noting the Spread of Rumors about East Germany, 23 June 1953 255 Document No. 60: Report from Vasilii Sokolovskii, Vladimir Semyonov, and Pavel Yudin "On the Events of 17-19 June 1953 in Berlin and the GDR and Certain Conclusions from These Events," 24 June 1953 257 Document No. 61: CIA Intelligence Memorandum, "Indications of [Soviet] Intentions in Europe," c. 24 June 1953 . 286 Document No. 62: CIA Information Report, "Continuing Resistance among Workers," 25 June 1953 288 Document No. 63: Memorandum from Secretaiy of the Moscow Committee N. Mikhailov to , 26 June 1953 289 Document No. 64: Report from Lt.-Gen. F. Fedenko to Lt.-Gen. N. D. Pavlovskii Summarizing Data on the Number of Participants in the East German Uprising, 27 June 1953 291 Document No. 65: Protocol #1 of a Meeting of the Vyshinskii Commission to Draft a Proposal Pertaining to the GDR, 2 July 1953 293 Document No. 66: Memorandum from Vladimir Semyonov and Pavel Yudin to Vyacheslav Molotov Regarding Inter-Zonal Movements in Berlin, 4 July 1953 295 Document No. 67: Otto Grotewohl's Handwritten Notes of a SED CC Politburo Meeting, 8 July 1953 297 Document No. 68: Report from Maj.-Gen. Sergei Dengin to Vladimir Semyonov, "On the Situation in the Soviet Sector of Berlin," 8 July 1953 299 Document No. 69: Memorandum from Georgii Pushkin to Andrei Vyshinskii Regarding Proposals Made by Semyonov, Sokolovskii and Yudin, 9 July 1953 (Excerpt) 303 Document No. 70: Note from Sergei Kruglov to Georgii Malenkov, with Attached Communication from Pyotr Fedotov and Ivan Fadeikin Regarding the SED CC Politburo, 9 July 1953 309 Document No. 71: CIA Information Report, "Berlin Situation as of 5.00 p.m., 9 July 1953," 10 July 1953 314 Document No. 72: Memorandum from Sergei Kruglov to Georgii Malenkov Summarizing an East German Investigation into the Alleged Western Role in the Provocations of 17 June 15 July 1953 315

XI PART THREE THE AFTERMATH: IMPLICATIONS FOR U.S. POLICY

Introduction 317 Document No. 73: Summary of Discussion at the 151st Meeting of the National Security Council, 25 June 1953 329 Document No. 74: NSC 158, " Objectives and Actions to Exploit the Unrest in the Satellite States," 29 June 1953 332 Document No. 75: Czechoslovak Communist Party Information Bulletin, 1 July 1953 335 Document No. 76: Memorandum of Informal Psychological Strategy Board Meeting, 1 July 1953 337 Document No. 77: Memorandum of Informal Psychological Strategy Board Meeting, 8 July 1953 339 Document No. 78: Report of the Chief of the WUBP in Olsztyn (Poland) for June 1953, 9 July 1953 (Excerpts) 341 Document No. 79: Memorandum of Telephone Conversation between John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles, 10 July 1953 344 Document No. 80: CIA Special Supplement to the Current Intelligence Weekly, 10 July 1953 345 Document No. 81: CIA Information Report, "Plans for Renewal of Strikes in East Germany," 13 July 1953 351 Document No. 82: Letter from President Eisenhower to Field Marshal Montgomery of Alamein, 14 July 1953 353 Document No. 83: Intelligence Advisory Committee, Special Estimate (SE-47), "Probable Effect of Recent Developments in Eastern Germany on Soviet Policy with Respect to Germany," 21 July 1953 355 Document No. 84: Letter from James Conant to John Foster Dulles, 28 July 1953 359 Document No. 85: Draft Resolution of the CPSU CC, c. 31 July 1953 361 Document No. 86: CIA Information Report, "Unrest over Food Packages," 7 August 1953 363 Document No. 87: Conclusions from Reports of the SED District Leaderships, 8 August 1953 364 Document No. 88: Cable from James Conant to John Foster Dulles, 8 August 1953 365 Document No. 89: Memorandum from John A. Bross to Allen Dulles Regarding Food Depots along Zonal Boundaries, 11 August 1953 366

xn Document No. 90: Memorandum from to Nikita Khrushchev, 20 August 1953 368 Document No. 91: Report of the Polish Diplomatic Mission in Berlin for the Period 21 June-31 August 1953 (Excerpts), c. September 1953 371 Document No. 92: CIA Information Report, "Aftermath of the Riots," 10 September 1953 374 Document No. 93: HICOG Report on the U.S. Food Aid Program for East Germany, 17 September 1953 376 Document No. 94: CIA Information Report, "Estimated Damage as a Result of the June 16/17 Mass Demonstrations," 16 October 1953 390 Document No. 95: NSC Report No. 174, "United States Policy Toward the Soviet Satellites in Eastern Europe," 11 December 1953 392

Epilogue 415 Main Actors 423 Bibliography 427 Index 441

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