Soviet Tanks in Berlin on June 17, 1953

Soviet tanks in Berlin on June 17, 1953; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown;00A Licensable; Rights: 00A © Bleek/zb Media.

Licence Fee Options *

The basic price for provision and processing is € 55.00 for photos.
To determine the total net licence fee, please select the type of use. See the terms and conditions.

Description

Soviet tanks in Berlin on June 17, 1953; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown;0A Licensable; Rights: A © Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows Soviet tanks in Berlin on June 17, 1953, during the uprising in East Germany. On this day, hundreds of thousands of people in East Berlin and many other cities of the GDR protested against the government of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). The demonstrations began as workers’ strikes against rising work norms but quickly developed into a widespread uprising against the communist regime.

The GDR government was unable to suppress the protests alone, which is why the Soviet Union intervened. Soviet tanks and military troops marched into East Berlin to violently crush the uprising. Numerous demonstrators were arrested, and many were killed or injured. Martial law was declared, and the protest was brutally ended.

The photo is an impressive symbol of repression in the GDR and the Soviet control over East Germany. It shows the harsh reality of the Cold War: While democracy and freedom were propagated in the West, an authoritarian regime supported by the Soviet Union prevailed in the East. June 17, 1953, was later declared “Day of German Unity” in the Federal Republic of Germany, in remembrance of the first major uprising against the communist dictatorship in the GDR.

You may also like…

Go to Top