SED + CDU: Partners since 1949
Poster
1990 (designed and printed)
1990 (designed and printed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This is a campaign poster issued by the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - German Social Democratic party) for the first and only free parliamentary elections ('Volkskammerwahl') in East Germany (GDR-German Democratic Republic) on the 18th of March 1990. The elections took place between the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany.
This poster addresses the partnership since 1949 between the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) - which had been the ruling party in the communist GDR. The text states 'SED + CDU - partners since 1949. Make your honest choice for SPD'. The poster is an example of the SPD's retaliation against the aggressive smear campaign undertaken by the Alliance for Germany coalition parties.
The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party within the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united.
This poster addresses the partnership since 1949 between the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) - which had been the ruling party in the communist GDR. The text states 'SED + CDU - partners since 1949. Make your honest choice for SPD'. The poster is an example of the SPD's retaliation against the aggressive smear campaign undertaken by the Alliance for Germany coalition parties.
The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party within the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united.
Object details
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Object type | |
Titles |
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Materials and techniques | Lithograph printed in red and blue on paper |
Brief description | Poster, lithograph, 'SED + CDU: Partners since 1949', issued by the SPD (Social Democratic Party) for their campaign for the first free parliamentary elections in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), GDR, 1990 |
Physical description | Comprising blue and red text on a white ground. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Object history | Historical significance: This poster is an example of the SPD's retaliation against the aggressive smear campaign undertaken by the Alliance for Germany coalition parties. |
Summary | This is a campaign poster issued by the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - German Social Democratic party) for the first and only free parliamentary elections ('Volkskammerwahl') in East Germany (GDR-German Democratic Republic) on the 18th of March 1990. The elections took place between the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany. This poster addresses the partnership since 1949 between the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) - which had been the ruling party in the communist GDR. The text states 'SED + CDU - partners since 1949. Make your honest choice for SPD'. The poster is an example of the SPD's retaliation against the aggressive smear campaign undertaken by the Alliance for Germany coalition parties. The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party within the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.3083-1990 |
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Record created | January 26, 2009 |
Record URL |
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