André Steiner is Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Contemporary History Potsdam (ZZF) and Professor of economic and social history at the University of Potsdam. He has been the Research Director of the Department of Economic and Social History at the ZZF, a Research Fellow at Institutes for Economic History in Berlin and Mannheim and was Professor at the Ruhr-University Bochum.

Introduction Chapter 1. A Difficult Start? Initial Conditions in the Soviet Occupation Zone

Economic Potential and Structure at the End of the War

Plant Dismantling and Reparations

Political Forces in the Soviet Occupation Zone and their Ideas on Economic Policy

Land Reform and Nationalisation of Industry

Restarting Production

Chapter 2. The Establishment of the Planned Economy 1948-1952

German Economic Commission and Currency Reform

Problems of Economic Control

Reorientation of Foreign Trade and Industrial Development

Agriculture and Supplies for the Population

The Resolution to 'Build Socialism'

The Events of 17 June 1953

Chapter 3. Between Shortages and Growth 1953-1963

Industrial and Structural Policy

The Private Sector and Agriculture

Problems of the Steering Mechanism

Growth, Structural Transformation and Standard of Living

The 'Main Economic Task': 'Catch Up and Overtake'

Collectivisation and the Road into Crisis 1960/61

Chapter 4. The 'Golden' Sixties? Economic Reform between Take-off and Crisis 1961-1971

Störfreimachung and Produktionsaufgebot 1961/62

A 'New Economic System'?

Implementation of the Reform

'Overtake without Catching Up'

Economic Results and Living Standards in the Reform Period

The Growth Crisis of 1969/70 and its Political Consequences

Chapter 5. 'Unity of Economic and Social Policy' 1971-1982

Honecker's 'Main Task'

Fewer Investments and Innovations?

Concentration in Industry and Agriculture

And More Consumption?

Debt Crisis

Chapter 6. Continued Economic Decline 1982-1989

Getting out of Debt?

Dispensing with Reforms in the Steering of the Economy

Growing Loss of Assets

More Money, Fewer Goods

Final Crisis

Brief Biographies

Index