The purpose of this investigation is to assess the reasons why on-tract workers were sent to the German Democratic Republic and will be set by a time frame from 1980-1990. The investigation will primarily focus on the economic backgrounds of both states and then subsequently analyze the reasons that led to the agreement. Sources that are mainly used will be oral narratives and reports of former contract workers. The first source to be evaluated for its origin,purpose,values and possible limitations is a synopsis of reports and documents, Zwischen Nationalismus und Internationalismus – Über Ausländer und Ausländerpolitik in der DDR 1949-1990 published by Eva-Maria and Lothar Elsner, while the second source is a report of the BIOst, Vietnamesische Gastarbeiter in den europäischen RGW-Ländern by Klaus Fritsche.
Summary of Evidence.
Since the foundation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1949, the country struggled with a basic problem that it couldn't remedy throughout its whole existence: a great labour deficit. Even by trying to correct the lack of skilled workers through mobilization measures, the labour reserve of the GDR was behind the demand of the East German national economy, and, most importantly, far behind the economy of the competing Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Thus the governance of the GDR was forced to consider the possibility or bringing foreign workers from other socialistic states into the GDR. .
In most instances these considerations came from contractual delivery obligations towards the other partners from the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA). The model of contract work between the GDR and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) started first with an agreement in 19803. Especially in the Seventies, the GDR focused on cooperation with socialistic developing countries like the SRV, because it had a greater bargaining position towards them, regarding their relative wealth in contrast to other socialistic countries.
