The clear winner of the election was the Social Democratic Party (SPD) led by Otto Ostrowski, which won 48.7% and 63 seats, just three short of a majority.

The result was a clear rejection of the Socialist Unity Party, which was favored by the Soviet occupation authority, and of the CDU, which came to dominate politics in West Germany.

SPD leader Ostrowski was elected mayor by the City Council in December and formed a cabinet comprising all four parties.

When he refused, the SPD put forward a motion of no confidence in the city council, which narrowly fell short of the two-thirds majority required to pass.

As a result, the Soviet authorities refused to consent to his appointment and Louise Schroeder became acting mayor.