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- Title
'Nicht alles war gut, aber vieles war besser.' Een verklaring van de Ostidentität en de nostalgie naar de DDR in het huidige Oost-Duitsland (1990-2008).
- Authors
De Rynck, Korneel
- Abstract
In Germany euphoria over the fall of Berlin Wall was widespread in 1989. At border crossings people shouted 'Deutschland einig Vaterland'. The German Democratic Republic(GDR) staggered … and fell. West Germany and East Germany were reunited in 1990. Former GDR citizens rejected the communist state and ideology, as they were told to do so by the West. However, feelings of nostalgia for certain aspects of the GDR society surged within months and prompted observers to speak of an 'Ostidentität' and 'Ostalgia'. An unexpected revival of interest in GDR products, symbols, films, television shows and parties took place. The storm of Ostalgia still rages in East Germany. How come? How come shows are produced about a period which did not seem suitable for light entertainment? Why do people look back nostalgically on the past? Euphoria gave way to disenchantment, but most explanations were cliché-ridden and not satisfactory. In this article we come up with an explanation that focuses on the interaction between socialisation and situation. An Ostidentität was already developed within the GDR society. This identity was questioned when former GDR citizens were faced with the sweeping reforms following the unification. The Ostidentität became visible and Ostalgia surged.
- Subjects
BERLIN (Germany); GERMANY (East); GERMANY (West); BERLIN Wall, Berlin, Germany, 1961-1989; ALLIED occupation, Berlin, Germany, 1945-1990; GEOGRAPHIC boundaries; COMMUNISM; NOSTALGIA; CULTURAL industries
- Publication
Brood & Rozen: Tijdschrift voor de Geschiedenis van Sociale Bewegingen, 2009, Vol 14, Issue 4, p4
- ISSN
1370-7477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.21825/br.v14i4.3378