East German Industrial Production: Quality


Figure 1.-- Here we see an East German family about 1960 proudly posing with their new Trabant. A German reader points out that, "In 1960 only DDR-officials had a chance to get a Trabi, long waiting for ordinary people to get one." The only industrial product of any importance associated with East Germany is the Trabant, arguably the worst car ever built. It is in sharp contrast to the marvelous BMWs, Mercedes, and Volkswagen built by the West Germans and coveted all over the world. What could better highlight the ecomomic difference between Communism and Capitalism and why Communism failed wherever tried. As one of the ironies of history, many East Germans used their Trabies to escape East Germany over what became known as the Trabi Trail through Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

East Germany had beenaargely agricultural area befoe World War II. And despite Allied World War II bombing and Soviet post-War reparations, the East Germans built a substantial industrial plant. It became the most important industrial area in the Soviet Eastern European Empire. And it achieved productivity and quality levels above that of the Soviet Union. This was, however, not a high bar to exceed. East German products for the most part could not be sold in international markets. The quality was not high enough. The East Germans did export, but only within the Soviet organized Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON). The Soviets did not permit Western manufactued impports, not could Soviet and Eastern European onsumers afford Western products. Even Western jeans fethed astromomical prices. East Germany was different than the rest of the Soviet Empire. Thet were close enough to the West and spoke a language of Western broadcasts. Thus they were fully aware of what was available to Western consumers. Consumers in Germany did not have access to high qualty Western products, but they knew all to well what was available. Consumers in the East were thankful for virtually any major consumer product. They were even willing to order and pay for refrigerators, other applinces, cars, etc. a decade or more in advance. A wonderrful joke circulated describin a lady who ordered a refigerator and was told it would be 20 years before it could be delivered. The lady was not surprised and asked if it could be delivered in the afternoon. The clerk asked, "Madam, what possible difference could it make?" She replied, "Because the plumber is coming in the morning." Every important industrial nation is known for some of its major products. The Soviets and East Germans produced not one single impressive product that could be sold in the West. Probably the only East German product that a few Americans but virtually all Germans know about is the Trabant -- arguably the worst car ever manufactured. Thus while West Germany is known for the BMW, Mercedes, and Volkwagen, East Germany is known for the Trabant. In an irony of history, many East Germans used their polution-belching Trabbis to escape East Germany, creating the Trabbi Trail through Czechoslovaki and Hungary.







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Created: 8:51 AM 9/7/2017
Last updated: 10:25 PM 9/7/2017