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Hungary
20 August 1949

Hungary’s Stalinist Constitution Comes into Effect

Rákosi, ‘Stalin’s best Hungarian disciple’, established total dictatorship throughout the nation. As was laid out in Hungary’s 1949 Constitution, the nation became a People’s Republic with the Rákosi coat-of-arms—displaying the five-pointed, red star in its center—designated as its state symbol. The way in which Rákosi imitated over-industrialisation, the cult of personality and show trials indicates his total servility in following the Soviet example. His power was ensured by the presence of a political police force that was ruthless when facing any enemies of the communist system.

24 May 1949

24 May: Proclamation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany (‘Grundgesetzes der Bundesrepublik Deutschland’)

07 October 1949

7 October: The German Democratic Republic - GDR (‘Deutsche Demokratische Republik’ - DDR) is established