Intershop
Intershop was a retail chain in the GDR, whose goods could be purchased with convertible currencies, later also with Forum 's checks, but not with Mark of the GDR. An unavoidable side effect was that the normal GDR citizens thereby got a limited view of the range of goods of the West. Precursor name for the Intershop have been a transit camp and the International Bazaar, according to the historian Matthias Judt.
History
On December 14, 1962, the State Trading Organization Intershop was founded in the GDR. This should siphon off in the GDR in circulation freely convertible currencies ( foreign exchange, value date). The target group was initially transit travelers and visitors from Western countries. The first, still mobile stalls were used in East Berlin in Friedrichstrasse station. Here cigarettes were mainly sold at a much cheaper price than in West Berlin. Gradually, alcohol and other goods were added. Already in 1962 a million was generated sales of DM.
Initially, the Intershop trade was organized by the Mitropa. With the establishment of the first Interhotels there was a so-called " Room Service " is introduced. This was usually housed in a hotel room and should animate in place for issuing of currency currencies. Gradually these businesses grew more and more.
Later Intershops were at border crossing points, set at rest areas on transit routes between the Federal Republic of Germany (Inter - tank) and West Berlin and in railway stations, airports and ferry ports. Could be paid with any freely convertible currency, primarily with Western Mark (DM ). The range consisted of food, alcohol, tobacco products, clothing, toys, jewelry, cosmetics, electrical household appliances, audio recordings and more. These products existed in the GDR for the official currency of the GDR mark not or only sporadically to buy, although most of the range of goods produced within the licensed production in the GDR for West Company. For the supply of Intershop stores with goods for the commercial coordination area belonging "forum outside Handelsgesellschaft mbH " with 900 employees, was responsible.
Until 1974, it was officially banned East German citizens to own foreign currency (see Western money ). By decree of the Council of Ministers of the GDR this ban was lifted and GDR citizens could buy since in most Intershops. Located at motorway service areas, so-called "transit Shops" - partially self-service - were, however, still only accessible for travelers from the so-called non- socialist economic region, which is why the travel documents were be presented at the inputs. In addition, the offer was aimed at duty free goods ( cigarettes, liquor, coffee and perfume ) and brand clothes, watches and jewelry. The sales prices of these goods were well below the price level in the Federal Republic of Germany or West Berlin, while the Intershop prices for the goods that were in demand especially by GDR citizens were relatively high. However GDR citizens could not legally be exchanged for currency currency the GDR Mark. Legal value were only gifts from relatives from the West or pay for activities in the West, which was proportionately paid in foreign currency. In 1974 there were 271 Intershops. Since this constituted an ideological problem, took the state Council President Erich Honecker in 1977 publicly on East German television during a speech to the Intershops position:
" These stores are of course not a constant companion of socialism. But we can not ignore the fact that most of the large flow of visitors much more currency among the people brings, as was the case earlier. As is known, come to us in the year about 9.5 million visitors from capitalist countries who eat with us, stay for the most part and also of course have money in their pockets. By Intershop shops we have created the possibility that these currencies remain in our country. "
As of 16 April 1979 had to GDR citizens to the Intershop continue to be able to shop, exchange currency at the State Bank of the GDR in forum checks. Western foreigners still paid in Western money. A forum Check- marrow corresponded to a DM, the smallest denomination were 50 Forum Check- penny. Smaller amounts were usually reimbursed à 10 Pfennig when paying with checks forum in the form of chocolate bars or lollipops.
In the 1980s, there were 380 stores, sales in the billions. Since 1962, the last 300 stores were built by Exquisit ( for high quality clothing / shoes / cosmetics) since 1976 and 550 shops of Delicacy ( for high-quality food / delicatessen ) in the GDR, they also allowed citizens of the GDR without Western money access to quality goods to mop up excess purchasing power. In 1988 there were 416 shops.
The Ministry for State Security ( Stasi) monitored the Intershop's very strong, often working members of Stasi employees or officials as saleswomen. Partly also surveillance cameras were used initially even the passports were checked. Also, the transport of goods was well secured. But still there were numerous thefts and some partially armed raids on Intershop branches. In addition to the elucidation of the People's Police and the MfS was always involved. It was found that store managers and employees often belonged to the group of offenders. Therefore, since the 1980s, part of the salary was paid in Western money to the sales staff, gratuities had to be paid according to fixed rules.
Since you were not allowed to photograph in the Intershop, there are very few photos from inside the shops. Most date from the Stasi. The West German photographer Günter Schneider created as part of a larger report on the transit routes numerous photos of Intershop stores.
According to the West German tax law and tax-free shopping in Intershops for citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany and Berlin ( West) was only legal if they were entered in the GDR. Customers of Intershop's on the U- Bahn station Friedrichstraße, which was accessible without crossing from West Berlin underground network of were, so many stopped when returning to West Berlin territory of Western customs officers and had to pay extra evaded VAT.
Financial balance
With the introduction of the forum's checks in 1979, sales fell in Intershop to 774 million euros ( 1978: EUR 896 million ). From 1985, more than a billion D- Marks were ( ie more than 511 million euros ) implemented annually. For comparison, the GDR 's foreign debt amounted at the end of 1980 -ies 26.5 billion U.S. dollars - this amount was offset by its own deposits and claims of 15.7 billion U.S. dollars. A considerable proportion of this revenue the KoKo empire headed by Alexander Schalk - Golodkowski, which included the Intershop store chain.