| Since the late 1940s eastern Germany has been one of the most important uranium producers in the world. The year 1967 marked the height of production, when 7,100 tons of uranium was sent to the Soviet Union. East Germany would ultimately provide 80 percent of the total uranium used by the Soviets in their nuclear program.; The Soviets were not interested in the development of a viable socialist society in the uranium district; they left this to the East German communists. During the development of the new East German state, 1949--1953, the Socialist Unity Party failed to develop an independent program. Instead, they relied heavily on the Soviets to provide a path forward.; In 1953, the Soviets began sharing power with the East Germans in the uranium district but the region remained physically and socially separated from the rest of East German society. Those who lived and worked in the area developed a unique identity. The SED failed to gain the trust of the uranium workers but because of the workers unique backgrounds and difficult living and working conditions they formed a tight knit society. Their loyalty, however, was not to the East German government but rather to each other, hindering the political development of the East German state.; The environmental degradation of the uranium region was not a calculated program implemented by the Soviets and the East Germans. The environment simply held no value for them. It was viewed as something to satisfy the political and economic needs of the state, not as something to preserve or cherish. The result was a total lack of concern for how seriously the environmental neglect affected the health and welfare of the East German citizens.; East German politicians were unwilling to follow their own path to socialism but rather chose to continue in the chaotic and authoritarian path set down by the Soviets. The SED abandoned its own ideology for developing and fostering a workers' state by failing to give priory to the needs of the uranium laborers and their families. Thus winning the Cold War took precedence over the welfare of the miners and their families. |
