ON THE DIFFICULTY OF SPEAKING OF THE GDR

In: Socialism and democracy: the bulletin of the Research Group on Socialism and Democracy, Band 9, Heft 1, S. 37-58

Abstract

IN MANY RESPECTS, THE EXTENT TO WHICH SOCIALISM REMAINS INFLUENTIAL IN THE FORMER GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC (GDR) DEPENDS UPON HOW THE SOCIAL MEMORY OF THE PAST IS CONSTRUCTED IN THE PRESENT. IN THIS ARTICLE, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE FORCES AT WORK IN THE NEWLY-UNIFIED GERMANY THAT, IN HIS TERMS, MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SPEAK OF THE GDR TODAY. HE DISCUSSES HOW CRITICAL WESTERN SOCIAL THEORY IS USED BY INTELLECTUALS WHO SPENT THEIR FORMATIVE YEARS IN THE GDR AND HOW THEY ARE COMING TO TERMS WITH THE CONDITIONS OF REPRESSION IN THEIR OWN PAST.