out higher education.

Life in East Germany was much different. Unlike West Germany which saw its infrastructure rebuilt by the Allies, the Soviets dismantled nearly all that remained of the industrial infrastructure of East Germany. Tens of thousands of East Germans were imprisoned and sent to work camps. Furthermore, without access to the agricultural and industrial regions of West Germany, most East Germans faced shortages of food and manufactured goods. Without goods to purchase, there was little incentive for people to work. This led to devastating economic stagnation. These poor conditions led many East Germans to flee to the west which only accelerated the declining economic conditions. Attempts to collectivise agriculture failed and led to food shortages. In an effort to compensate for the floundering economy, worker quotas were implemented. In 1953, things reached a tipping point and a worker's strike broke out in East Berlin. This grew into a larger protest demanding political reforms. This protest was forcefully ended by Soviet intervention. Conditions slowly improved over the 1960s and by the decade's end, East Germany had the most robust economy in the Eastern Bloc. Despite this, shortages of most goods continued throughout the remainder of East Germany's existence.