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So today is 17th June.
You may not have ever heard of the significance of this day, but you'll almost certainly have visited Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin if you've done the tourist bits (pictured below).
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![So today is 17th June.You may not have ever heard of the significance of this day, but you'll almost certainly have visited Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin if you've done the tourist bits (pictured below).[thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EauGqM1XsAAE1r0.jpg "So today is 17th June.You may not have ever heard of the significance of this day, but you'll almost certainly have visited Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin if you've done the tourist bits (pictured below).[thread]")
You may not have ever heard of the significance of this day, but you'll almost certainly have visited Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin if you've done the tourist bits (pictured below).
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Workers' living standards in East Germany had deteriorated and costs had gone up in the face of the GDR's ruling party's efforts to massively increase industrial output, heavily tax private companies and put into place the forced collectivism of agriculture.
Ulbricht wanted to increase worker norms by 10% (i.e. they work 10% more for the same wage). With the rise in cost of living, combined with the increased norms, it amounted to a pay cut of around 33%.
Ever the ego, Ulbricht wanted this introduced on his birthday. 30th June.
Ever the ego, Ulbricht wanted this introduced on his birthday. 30th June.
Moscow hears about the dreadful economic conditions and commands the SED (the GDR's ruling party) to end forced collectivisation and to stop targeting private enterprise.
Workers hoped this also meant an end to the worker norm increases. By 16th June, the GDR weren't budging.
Workers hoped this also meant an end to the worker norm increases. By 16th June, the GDR weren't budging.
300 workers went on strike to protest the increased norms. This catches the politburo off-guard and they spend a good amount of time doing a lot of nothing. By the time the politburo decides to concede and make the increased norms voluntary, the protest has grown and moved on.
The norms were the spark that lit the flame. Workers start demanding more political changes. The strikes and protests go on through the night, with a coordinated protest to be held at 7am the next day.
On 17th June, around 40,000 workers strike and protest around Berlin and over 300,000 do so in solidarity in cities across the entire GDR.
The demands had grown. They wanted the resignation of the government, free elections and reunification.
The SED responded with force.
The demands had grown. They wanted the resignation of the government, free elections and reunification.
The SED responded with force.
Martial law is declared in East Berlin and around 20,000 Soviet soldiers and 8000 member of the People's Police crush violently crush the uprising. Somewhere between 55-125 people are killed. Thousands are arrested.
The SED succeeds, however, in suppressing the uprising.
The SED succeeds, however, in suppressing the uprising.
West Germany marks 17th June as Day of German Unity until 1990, following actual reunification, when it becomes 3rd October.
A memorial near Potsdamer Platz commemorates the uprising. You can find more details (including location) here: https://www.visitberlin.de/en/memorial-17-june-1953-uprising
A memorial near Potsdamer Platz commemorates the uprising. You can find more details (including location) here: https://www.visitberlin.de/en/memorial-17-june-1953-uprising
And here's a pretty good short video from Welt if you're interested!
Also, this is a mere hobby for me. So any actual professional historians are very welcome to point out inaccuracies, give amendments or provide nuances. 
