Memories of and attitudes to the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or East Germany, within contemporary Germany are characterized by their variety and complexity, whilst the debate over how to remember the GDR tells us a lot about how Germans see themselves and their future. This volume provides a range of international perspectives.

This important new overview of the German Democratic Republic focuses on the country’s search for identity and legitimacy throughout its history. Dr. Henry Krisch analyzes major aspects of East German life—political, economic, cultural, and societal—to answer the fundamental question of the nature of the GDR. Arguing that East Germany has been shaped by history to an unusual degree, he explores the country’s historical background, including the Soviet Zone, the origins of the GDR, and the leadership of Ulbricht and Honecker, and examines the role and structure of the party, state, and military and security forces. The main emphasis of this book, however, is upon current problems and on likely responses to them in the near future. Issues such as the viability of communist politics in a technologically advanced society, the relationship of the GDR to a common German heritage and a competing West German state, and the country’s role within the Soviet alliance system are examined in detail, and current social concerns, including the peace movement, cultural trends, the role of women and youth, and the prime importance of sports, are discussed.

The shifting patterns of relationships in Central and Eastern Europe require that students of international relations be well versed in the attitudes and internal structures of the nations involved. Until now, material in English on the German Democratic Republic has consisted primarily of journalistic reminiscences or narrow scholarly treatments. Recognizing the need and responding to it, the authors of this book—leaders in the study of the GDR—present an up-to-date and comprehensive look at the country, focusing on domestic political and social change. The authors are agreed that the GDR is not only here to stay, but is also a rather stable society that can withstand moderate, well-regulated processes of change. They address education, intellectual life, the military, foreign relations, and the economy, as well as the customary subjects of politics and governmental direction.

This new book investigates communist rule in East Germany from the end of World War II to its rapid collapse after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Using newly available archival material, the early chapters trace the emergence of the GDR in 1949 from out of chrysalis of the Soviet zone of occupation. Later chapters cover the dramatic episodes of the 1953 uprising against Soviet dominance and the buildling of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The subsequent stabilization of the GDR and the establishment of an uneasy compromise between the ruling elites and the population in the later 1960s and 1970s are explained with reference to a range of internal social, economic and political factors. The disintegration of the regime in 1989, despite the comprehensive system of surveillance operated by the infamous Stasi, is explained in the light of * the chronic weakness of Gorbachev's Soviet Union * the bravery of the protestors * the enduring appeal of West Germany's social market economy and political pluralism.This clear and comprehensive survey marshals secondary and original primary sources in order to give a unique insight into the GDR's struggles and achievements.Mike Dennis is Professor of Modern History, University of Wolverhampton. His many publications include `The German Democratic Republic' (1988).