June 6, 1953
SED CC Politburo Minutes Discussing Moscow’s Directives for the New Course
Minutes Nr. 33/53
of the Extraordinary Session of the Politburo of the Central Committee
on 6 June 1953
Daily Order: Debate on the Report regarding the Trip
Members present: Grotewohl, Ulbricht, Oelssner, Rau, Ebert, Zaisser
Candidates present: Schmidt, Honecker, Jendretzky, Herrnstadt, Mückenburger
Invited to the Session:
Semyonov
Excused: Pieck convalescence
Matern vacation
Ackermann vacation
Chair: Grotewohl Secretary [for minutes]: Oelssner
Discussed: Decided:
1. Debate on the report 1) After extensive discussion by
all comrades
regarding the trip: present, a general consensus was
announced on the submitted document.
2) A comprehensive document self-critical of the of the Politburo and the Secretariat should be drafted and presented to the Central Committee of the CPSU.
3) For the preparation of an organizational reform of Politburo and Secretariat policy toward labor methods, a commission will be appointed, comprised of Comrades:
Ulbricht
Zaisser
Oelssner
Herrnstadt
Jendretzky
4) Comrades Ebert and Jendretzky are charged with nominating a Berlin comrade to each of the committees appointed in the Politburo session of 5 June 1953.
5) All poster propaganda is to be immediately re-examined.
6) Comrade Grotewohl is authorized to negotiate with the Church leadership.
In the negotiations the following comrades should participate:
Wandel
Zaisser
Grötschel
Mr. Nuschke
7) Comrades Zaisser, Maron, and the District Attorney are instructed not to introduce further measures against the so-called "Junge Gemeinde" and other church institutions in any way.
Further regulation of the affairs of the "Junge Gemeinde" is henceforth to be carried out through the Bureau for Youth Issues and not the Ministry of the Interior.
8) Confiscated properties of an ecclesiastical nature are to be returned to their previous owners
9) Subsidies planned for the Church are to be paid.
10) The quarantine camps for returning refugees are to be immediately dissolved. A corresponding press report is to be released.
On the regulation of all standing questions in connection with the repatriation of previous refugees, guidelines are to be drafted by the following commission:
Zaisser
Plenikowski
Maron
[Klaus]Sorgenicht
Strampfer
a colleague of Scholz
11) The planned summer camp for the physical training of SED members and candidates is to be aborted.
The following press release is to be issued:
"The Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED has examined the question of the implementation of summer camps for the physical training of Party members and candidates, and decided to dispense with these measures. All preparations taken for this purpose are to cease.”
12) Comrades Ebert and Jendretzky are instructed to suggest concrete measures with regards to Berlin.
[signed] W. Ulbricht O. Grotewohl
of the Extraordinary Session of the Politburo of the Central Committee
on 6 June 1953
Daily Order: Debate on the Report regarding the Trip
Members present: Grotewohl, Ulbricht, Oelssner, Rau, Ebert, Zaisser
Candidates present: Schmidt, Honecker, Jendretzky, Herrnstadt, Mückenburger
Invited to the Session:
Semyonov
Excused: Pieck convalescence
Matern vacation
Ackermann vacation
Chair: Grotewohl Secretary [for minutes]: Oelssner
Discussed: Decided:
1. Debate on the report 1) After extensive discussion by
all comrades
regarding the trip: present, a general consensus was
announced on the submitted document.
2) A comprehensive document self-critical of the of the Politburo and the Secretariat should be drafted and presented to the Central Committee of the CPSU.
3) For the preparation of an organizational reform of Politburo and Secretariat policy toward labor methods, a commission will be appointed, comprised of Comrades:
Ulbricht
Zaisser
Oelssner
Herrnstadt
Jendretzky
4) Comrades Ebert and Jendretzky are charged with nominating a Berlin comrade to each of the committees appointed in the Politburo session of 5 June 1953.
5) All poster propaganda is to be immediately re-examined.
6) Comrade Grotewohl is authorized to negotiate with the Church leadership.
In the negotiations the following comrades should participate:
Wandel
Zaisser
Grötschel
Mr. Nuschke
7) Comrades Zaisser, Maron, and the District Attorney are instructed not to introduce further measures against the so-called "Junge Gemeinde" and other church institutions in any way.
Further regulation of the affairs of the "Junge Gemeinde" is henceforth to be carried out through the Bureau for Youth Issues and not the Ministry of the Interior.
8) Confiscated properties of an ecclesiastical nature are to be returned to their previous owners
9) Subsidies planned for the Church are to be paid.
10) The quarantine camps for returning refugees are to be immediately dissolved. A corresponding press report is to be released.
On the regulation of all standing questions in connection with the repatriation of previous refugees, guidelines are to be drafted by the following commission:
Zaisser
Plenikowski
Maron
[Klaus]Sorgenicht
Strampfer
a colleague of Scholz
11) The planned summer camp for the physical training of SED members and candidates is to be aborted.
The following press release is to be issued:
"The Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED has examined the question of the implementation of summer camps for the physical training of Party members and candidates, and decided to dispense with these measures. All preparations taken for this purpose are to cease.”
12) Comrades Ebert and Jendretzky are instructed to suggest concrete measures with regards to Berlin.
[signed] W. Ulbricht O. Grotewohl
Self-critical attitude of the Politburo, organizational reform of Politburo and Secretariat policy toward labor methods
Author(s):
Associated Topics
Document Information
Source
SAPMO-BArch, DY 30 2/21. Translated by Christian Hetzner and Christian Ostermann.
Original Archive
Rights
The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.
To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at HAPP@wilsoncenter.org.