| Country: | East Germany |
| Flag Year: | 1949 |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Turnout: | 95.23% |
| Election Date: | 15–16 May 1949 |
| Previous Election: | 1938 German parliamentary election and referendum |
| Previous Year: | 1938 |
| Next Election: | 1950 East German general election |
| Next Year: | 1950 |
| Seats For Election: | All 1,525 seats in the German People's Congress |
| Image1: | Fotothek df roe-neg 0002793 004 Portrait Wilhelm Piecks im Publikum der Bachfeier.jpg |
| Leader1: | Wilhelm Pieck |
| Alliance1: | Democratic Bloc |
| Party1: | Socialist Unity Party of Germany |
| Leader Since1: | 22 April 1946 |
| Seats1: | 450 |
| Chairman of the Council of Ministers | |
| Posttitle: | Chairman of the Council of Ministers after election |
| After Election: | Otto Grotewohl |
| After Party: | Socialist Unity Party of Germany |
Elections for the Third German People's Congress were held in East Germany on 15 and 16 May 1949.[1] Voters were presented with a "Unity List" from the "Bloc of the Anti-Fascist Democratic Parties," which was dominated by the Communist-leaning Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). The ballot was worded "I am for the unity of Germany and a just peace treaty. I therefore vote for the following list of candidates for the Third German People's Congress,"[2] with voters having the options of voting "yes" and "no".[3] In much of the country, the vote was not secret.[4]
According to official figures, 95.2% of voters voted, and 66% of them approved the list,[5] the lowest vote share an SED-dominated bloc received during the subsequent four decades of Communist rule. In all subsequent elections until the Peaceful Revolution, the National Front, successor to the Democratic Bloc, would win 99 percent or more of the vote.[4]
The Constitutional Assembly adopted East Germany's first constitution in October, and proclaimed the establishment of the German Democratic Republic on 7 October. It then transformed itself into the first Volkskammer.
