Cold War Files: All Units: Events: East German Uprising

East Germans throwing stones at Soviet tanks.

Popular resentment with the Ulbrict government exploded into open rebellion in June 1953. Striking factory works soon began calling for change in leadership and Ulbrict and the other East German communists turned to the Soviets for help. Soviet forces quickly crushed the rebellion, killing at least 40 and arresting thousands more. Despite the revolt, the Soviets decided to keep Ulbrict in power.