- 7. Oktober - The German Democratic Republic (DDR) is proclaimed in the Soviet zone and the constitution is established
- 7. Oktober - Das Volkskammer and das Länderkammer are established.
- 12. Oktober - Wilhelm Pieck becomes the first and only Präsident der DDR; Otto Grotewohl becomes Prime Minister.
- See the original constitution
- 8. Februar - Das Ministerium für Staatssicherheit is founded.
- 30. März - Die Nationale Front der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik formed to manage elections with only bloc parties.
- See the National Front founding documents
- 6. Juli - Der Görlitzer Vertrag is signed between the DDR and the VR Polen.
- 13. September - The DDR officially becomes a member of COMECON.
- See der Görlitzer Vertrag document
- 9. April - Large scale demonstrations by the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ) in favour of socialism.
- Central planning leads to inefficiencies and resource shortages.
- 10. Oktober - Cultural policy is shifted to favour socialist realism.
- 7. Dezember - DDR begins to align with Soviet international positions.
- Border checkpoints to the BRD and West-Berlin become increasingly militarised.
- Planning for socialist model villages begins.
- 1. Juni - Die Kasernierte Volkspolizei is established as a precursor to die Nationale Volksarmee.
- 8. Juni - The first Agricultural Production Cooperative (LPG) farm is created.
- Exclusion zones are beginning to be made along the inner-German border.
- Republikflucht increases substantially.
- Factory production begins to show signs of stagnation.
- Production quotas for private farms are raising exponentially.
- 9. Juni - Der Neuer Kurs is announced.
- 17. Juni - Workers uprising across the DDR.
- 3. November - Reforms are implemented in order to ease tensions.
- 15. November - Minor easing of production targets for private farms.
- Der Neuer Kurs continues with mixed results.
- Stasi undergoes minor reorganisations.
- Radio Free Europe increases broadcasts into Ostdeutschland.
- 3. Mai - Youth protests suppressed in Leipzig
- DDR participates in Comecon planning more actively as the fünfjahresplan reaches its end.
- Soviet advisors are strongly integrated in DDR economic planning.
- 14. Mai - Willi Stoph becomes head of die Kasernierte Volkspolizei.
- 14. Mai - The Warschauer Pakt is created and the DDR signs.
- 20. September - The Soviet Union recognises the DDR as a sovereign state.
- The first DDR computer, OPREMA, is manufactured.
- Economic focus on heavy industry continues.
- Cultural purges affect writers and musicians.
- Warsaw Pact coordination increases in military and economic spheres.
- 1. März - The Ministerium für Nationale Verteidigung is established alongside the Landstreitkräfte, Luftstreitkräfte, and the Volksmarine.
- See the founding document for the NVA.
- Hungarian Revolution causes panic in SED leadership.
- Stasi increases internal surveillance.
- FDJ used to promote loyalty through mass culture and summer camps.
- Ulbricht criticizes "bourgeois elements" in the arts.
- DDR tightens ideological control following Hungary's example.
- Group of Soviet Forces is reaffirmed in DDR.
- Accelerated collectivization continues.
- Small business closures create unrest.
- 7. August - Kliment Voroshilov makes a state visit to the DDR.
- Ideological education within schools increases.
- Increased investment in defence infrastructure.
- DDR condemns the BRD's integration into NATO.
- The Berlin Ultimatum is started by Voroshilov.
- DDR begins preparing for potential confrontation over Berlin.
- DDR enforces stricter border policies in Berlin.
- Large scale propaganda campaigns are launched against the West.
- Socialist housing programs announced.
- Soviet nuclear umbrella pledges to defend DDR.
- Political education expanded in workplaces.
- Military exercises increase across the country.
- Large-scale construction projects for statues and monuments.
- New history curricula introduced in schools.
- 7. Oktober - 10th anniversary of the DDR.
- 19. November - Ulbricht emphasises technological development in a speech.
- See the speech transcript
- 17. Januar - Voroshilov makes a state visit to the DDR.
- 16. März - The Nationaler Verteidigungsrat der DDR is established as a command body of the defence force.
- Republikflucht increases sharply.
- DDR increases diplomacy with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
- 7. September - Wilhelm Pieck, Präsident der DDR, dies and the position of president is abolished.
- 12. September - The Staatsrat der DDR is established and Walter Ulbricht becomes its head, becoming the de facto head of state.
- DDR increases diplomacy with Cuba
- 5. Dezember - Internal plans for border closures discussed.
- Fears rise regarding West-Berlin being a drain on the East German economy.
- MfS surveillance reaches new hights.
- 13. August - Berlin Wall construction immediately begins, Republikflucht massively drops.
- 15. August - The Schießbefehl is introduced where border crossers are to be shot.
- 6. Oktober - Walter Ulbricht claims the wall will ensure peace and socialism in a speech.
- Western protests regarding the wall are ignored.
- See the speech transcript
- The Grenztruppen is expanded as the wall is fully fortified.
- 3. März - New passports are introduced in enforcing tighter border checkpoints.
- DDR begins development of an independent industrial chemical industry.
- Church leaders pressured to support the regime.
- Increased industrial output seen as a sign of economic success in the DDR.
- 5. November - Unrest at Jena University is suppressed.
- 5. Februar - The MfS launches Operation Königstein against underground dissent.
- DDR space ambitions are quietly discussed among the Politbüro.
- First computers are introduced in East German industry.
- Broadcasts from across the border are increasingly jammed.
- 4. November - The DDR begins talks with the Soviet Union regarding space travel.
- First TV propaganda shows which target youth.