Wikimedia Commons. In The Lost World of Communism, Peter Molloy, producer of the accompanying BBC series, collects first hand testimony of the people who lived in East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania during the Cold War era, and reveals an astonishingly This is the story of how the Protestants in the GDR struggled to survive while striving to put their theology into practice and remaining true to their vision of what the role of the church should be a 'church for others' as Dietrich There were some problems, but life was good there. Eight percent agreed with the statement: The gdr had, for the most part, good sides. Nowhere else was this clearer than Germany, which was divided between the Soviet Union and Allies through its capital, Berlin. Keep an eye out for signs reading FKK if you visit Germany. A child enjoys a visit to a public park in East Berlin, 1977. Between 1958 and 1983, Drummer presented nearly 650 episodes. Join us as we take a peep behind the Iron Curtain before 1989. It broke my heart. Films, in particular, were very popular, and thus potentially very dangerous. Doping, as its known, is still a big problem for sport, but rarely is it anything more than individual cheating. In 1989, national financial difficulties, and the collapse of communist regimes nearby undermined the SEDs rule. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. The Church eventually learned to cooperate with the State, and membership of churches plummeted. We left in the middle of the night. The GDR used the exchanged items to make everything from cars to clothes. In Iron Curtain, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum describes how the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe were created and what daily life was like once they were complete. Malnourished prisoners had no contact with anyone apart from their interrogators. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. Escapees knew the danger they faced, and the number of attempts bespeak the desperate circumstances people faced in the GDR. Propaganda took up much of the broadcasting time. Your opinion can help us make it better. This came from a merger of the German Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party of Germany. When the payment system in 1990 after the Reunification of Germany, the intake of scavenged materials dropped 90%! Stalin wanted Eastern Europe under his thumb both as a defense buffer to protect the Soviet motherland and to expand socialism, the communist Around 5, 000 people managed to, but thats out more than 100, 000 would-be escapees. A cement works looming over Deuna, 1976. Cosmos. BERLIN (Reuters) - Life in the Communist-ruled German Democratic Republic (GDR) was simpler and sometimes could be Most prisoners lived in isolation, but even when you had a cellmate, you couldnt be certain whether they were informers. East German filmmakers capitalised on widespread interest in Native American culture by making their own Westerns. Some bands were banned, but others which subtly hinted at dissatisfaction with the GDR such as Karat became very popular. West Berliners attempt to smash through the Berlin Wall, 1989. (03.10.2009), They've been goofing around in futuristic cities and ancient Rome for over 50 years. Despite the Soviet Unions state atheism policy, religion wasnt illegal in the GDR. They provided a visible expression of socialist ideals of shared property and resources. Known as Ostern (eastern) or Red Westerns, these films depicted cowboys as villains and Native Americans as heroes. Now the Mosaik comic characters, who provided imaginary escape to many in communist East Germany, are celebrating their 400th edition. The Stasi also recruited informers from within the Church to keep an eye on congregations. Enemies everywhere: photos show absurdity of life under the Stasi. Women, in particular, reported having much happier romantic lives before the Reunification of Germany. Meaty, tasty, and easily digestible Biblical Treasures. (07.01.2009), It's been 20 years since East and West Germany reunified, but the terms "typically Ossi" and "typically Wessi" are still bandied about. The SED even banned movies made in East Germany for criticising the regime. The GDR banned foreign movies such as Grease for promoting capitalist ideologies, but allowed others closer to the socialist outlook. People could finally speak out against the GDR and demand reforms. Found insideIn Second World, Second Sex Kristen Ghodsee rescues some of this lost history by tracing the activism of Eastern European and African women during the 1975 United Nations International Year of Women and the subsequent Decade for Women (1976 Despite these restrictions, the GDR produced some famous anti-fascism films hailed as classics to this day. And why did his grandfather Gerhard, the Socialist war hero, turn into a stranger? The story he unearths is, like his country's past, one of hopes, lies, cruelties, betrayals but also love. Private farms were also collectivised and known as Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaften (Agricultural Production Cooperatives). Some people committed suicide when they realised theyd failed. At its peak popularity, 200 factories in East Germany produced the drink. The GDR adopted these principles, and everyone had the right to a job. The Young Pioneers could exchange their hauls for money at recycling centres. Vita Cola fans point to its less-sweet, more-citrusy flavour as a reason for its success. A rather more intentional green policy in the GDR saw the creation of numerous public parks. Daily Mail. But they were also spied on by the Stasi and kept from leaving by the inner-German border. The GDR established its army, Nationale Volksarmee (National Peoples Army), in 1956. Vaizey, Hester. (13.08.2009), Twenty years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, an exhibition has opened in the German capital about one of the divided city's many anomalies - a local rail network that ran through the West but belonged to the East. The gender pay gap in East Germany is still much smaller than in West Germany. It was all fabricated by the government and media. Historians are still reading through the Stasis files on ordinary people, and will be for a long time. East Germany Images. Educate yourself. Viewing the traditional domestic and maternal roles of women as a bourgeois ideology, the SED found an untapped workforce. Awesome Berlin. Thus schools sent pupils wearing jeans home and dance halls refused entry to nietenhosen wearers. The Abrafaxe went on adventures East German children couldnt, and promoted a socialist German identity amongst their fans. This policy has left an important legacy. The German Democratic Republic. Blogspot. Everyday Life. The SED closely monitored re-enactment societies to make sure they portrayed the Native American culture according to Marxs interpretation. A nurse bottle feeds a baby in Berlin, 1977. Many of the Easts most talented citizens left for the West. Despite alternatives such as Vita Cola, western foodstuffs were still very much in demand. Thus the GDR heavily subsidised sports clubs and tried to nurture sporting talents at a young age. You are being brainwashed and told that anyone whos not on your side is your enemy. These attractive stamps promoted East German achievements and key events, with an eye to stamp collectors outside the GDR. This meant criticism of the regime and Western ideologies and culture all had to be censored. Western products such as Coca-Cola were in short supply and high demand. This website provides current information about our books, authors and related events around the country and in our Fathers world, as well as background information concerning the Nordskog family and publishing ministry. If the Stasi arrested you, youd end up in their dreaded prison, Hohenschnhausen. I told my parents that evening. Twenty years after the collapse of the Communist regime, East German brands are once again thriving. Many East German athletes have also suffered long-term health problems. In 1979, two families got across in a hot air balloon. It was neither democratic, nor was it a republic. When Eastern Germany became the GDR, these Jugendweihe (youth consecration) ceremonies became an important political tool. Today, Vita Cola still outsells Pepsi and Coca-Cola in East Germany. As well as Red Westerns, the East German film industry also made other types of film. Der Spiegel | Jul 3, 2009 | Socialism Today | 0 comments. If you have not yet heard of the Stasithose nice guys who spied on us back in East Germany, making sure we didnt talk against our government or watch West German TV or do anything else against their rules that they themselves didnt followwell, heres a little of the story for you. This article is more than 1 year old. This compelling book describes how everyday people courageously survived under repressive Communist regimes until the voices and actions of rebellious individuals resulted in the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe. Wikimedia Commons. Sound familiar? 57 people escaped the GDR through this East Berlin tunnel in 1964. This volume shows how the rise of consumer culture took a unique form in Eastern Europe. Privacy Policy | Nicknamed the cardboard racer, the Trabant travelled slowly and made a lot of noise. The SED encouraged children to become Young Pioneers, and collect bottles, scrap metal, and paper. A recycling centre employee sorts through glass bottles, East Berlin, November 1981. Therefore, please understand that opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of NPI, nor of its editorial staff. (16.09.2009), 2021 Deutsche Welle | At both technical colleges and universities, the education offered to an applicant also depended on scholarship and politics. Humboldt University, pictured here in 1950, had its curriculum restricted by the GDR. Teachers punished disobedience harshly, to ensure lifelong respect for authority: punishments included not having any lunch. Due to the foreign currency shortage, the SED established shops selling Western goods for foreign visitors which did not accept East German currency. To maintain order, the GDR had the Stasi, the worlds largest secret police network. However, on the plus side, GDR kindergartens didnt cost parents anything, and provided free meals for children. (07.04.2009), For the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Deutsche Welle has developed a unique project in cooperation with the Berlin Wall Foundation: an animated depiction of the former German-German border. Many factories had too many workers with nothing for them to do. Levis fetched astronomical prices on the black market. They also ensured the re-enactors portrayed white settlers as invading capitalists. Learn from history. The GDR lacked raw materials, and so had a very sophisticated recycling system. 2021 Nordskog Publishing. Its a long story. Even though jeans-pioneer Levi Strauss came from Southern Germany, the SED saw jeans as a revolting symbol of US capitalism. From 1952, the Soviets tried to close the inner border between capitalist (West) Germany and communist (East) Germany. As a young child, life under communism was great, just like heaven, said Treupel, explaining East Germany was famous for its excellent child care. Donors received money for their milk, usually collected by bike. A Jugendweihe celebration in Sonneberg, 1958. People could be prosecuted for not having a job! The GDR was miles ahead of the curve when it came to feminism. The reunified Germany prosecuted several former soldiers for their actions in the 1990s. It was a dictatorship in which there were no free elections, no division of powers, and no freedom of movement. Since they had a state monopoly, the company didnt bother to change the Trabants design.