Editorial Note
On November 11 General Chuikov announced the creation of a Soviet Control Commission for Germany and the end of the Soviet Military Administration, whose functions were transferred to the corresponding ministries of the “German Democratic Republic”. Chuikov stated that it was
“… the task of the Soviet Control Commission to control the implementation of the Potsdam and other joint decisions taken by the four powers with regard to Germany. This means that the provisional government of the “German Democratic Republic” may freely function in accordance with the constitution of the “German Democratic Republic” in so far as this activity is not contrary to the Potsdam decisions and the obligations resulting from the decisions of the four powers.”
[Page 542]For the full text of the statement, see Ruhm von Oppen, Documents on Germany, pages 435–436, or Obrazovaniye GDR, pages 163–165.