DDR State Emblem
DDR in 1987: Honecker's Crossroads
Economy: 50%
Economy
Public Support: 40%
Public Support
Party Loyalty: 70%
Party Loyalty
USSR Relations: 65%
USSR Relations
Welcome to East Berlin, January 1987. As Erich Honecker, General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) and leader of the German Democratic Republic (DDR), you face mounting challenges.

The Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev is pushing for reforms with glasnost and perestroika, while your economy struggles under massive debt to Western banks. West Germany's influence grows stronger, and citizens increasingly desire the freedoms and consumer goods available across the border.

You've led the DDR since 1971, maintaining a hardline socialist approach. Now at 74 years old, your decisions over the coming months will determine the future of East Germany. Will you resist change, embrace reform, or find another path to save the socialist state?

Historical Note: In early 1987, Honecker was confronting the dual challenges of economic stagnation and political pressure from the USSR to implement reforms similar to Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika.