"When has there ever been a government in German history that came to the people and revealed its detailed plans for the coming years? That could not happen before, since German governments planned war and conquest"

This quote by Walter Ulbricht speaks with the history of German federal governments and their absence of transparency with the people. He is indicating that in the past, German federal governments have actually not been open and sincere with the people about their prepare for the future. Rather, they have actually kept their prepare for war and conquest hidden from the public. This lack of openness has actually been a significant problem in German history, and Ulbricht is recommending that it is time for a change. He is calling for a brand-new era of openness and honesty between the federal government and the people, where the federal government is willing to share its prepare for the future and be held responsible for its actions. This would be a major shift in German politics, and one that Ulbricht thinks is needed for the nation to move forward.