nostalgia of GDR

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Sale of GDR T-shirts in Berlin (2004)
Typical " traffic light man " in the GDR

As nostalgia ( portmanteau of " east " and " nostalgia ") is a gradually began in the 1991 and 1992 distancing of part of the East German population understood against the Federal Republic, during the course of a reminiscent self-assurance and amateur past work up an increasingly more positive consideration of the GDR room won. This nostalgic resurrection of the GDR was evidently a wave of Ostalgie: in supermarkets, earlier Eastern products were suddenly offered, Ostalgie parties were held and GDR everyday objects and symbols were rediscovered as anchors of identity. The Ostalgie was also caused by fun and irony as well as commercial motives, e.g. B. the so-called " Ampelmännchen industry". Ostalgie reached its climax with the 2003 feature film Good Bye, Lenin! and the subsequent GDR television shows on public and private TV stations.

The new word creation is attributed to the cabaret artist Uwe Steimle .

Definition

There is no generally accepted definition for the term GDR nostalgia . Various terms such as Ostalgie , Ostidentität , new East German self-confidence and East German mentality are used vaguely . The best-known catchphrase is the suitcase word Ostalgie , which is used synonymously with GDR nostalgia . This word creation from the East and nostalgia is attributed to the Dresden cabaret artist Uwe Steimle , but according to the social scientist Thomas Ahbe , the term Ostalgie has a special pejorative connotation , since the terms East and nostalgia tend to represent deficiencies: in the case of nostalgia , because there is Contrast to the optimistic, modern zeitgeist , and with Ost or Ostig , because it is associated with rusty , ailing and outdated . Ostalgie is often misunderstood as a lack of willingness to integrate, as a rebellion to have the GDR back or to want to reverse German reunification . In fact, Ostalgie is an integration strategy because some East Germans want to keep their own traditional experiences, memories and values, which are incompatible with those of the West German majority.

Phenomenon of GDR nostalgia

The term GDR nostalgia is not analytically defined and is used inconsistently in the scientific literature. The sociologist Katja Neller, who did her doctorate in 2005 on the subject of GDR nostalgia , strictly distinguishes the term from the suitcase word Ostalgie and defines GDR nostalgia as positive retrospective assessments of the new German citizens (or the former GDR citizens) towards the GDR. Since there was no real GDR identity before the fall of the Wall , an important aspect of the scientific debates on GDR nostalgia revolves around the question of whether the retrospective GDR loyalties identified by research are only post-turnaround phenomena or whether they are due to existing ones Establish ties from the GDR era.

While the GDR was unanimously rated negatively by the East German population shortly after the fall of the Wall, new surveys show increasingly positive assessments. Despite the increased standard of living since the fall of the Wall , the GDR in the new federal states is now rated better than the Federal Republic in many areas, especially with regard to social security . This assessment was also shared by the panelists of the Saxon longitudinal study . The Ostalgie can be seen as a reaction of part of the population of the new federal states following the euphoria of the immediate turning point and typical of the 1990s, with which this population group the very contradictory and difficult economic transformation process and the adjustment to a new legal system after the peaceful one Revolution, and thus the sharp break between the past and the future. What can be described in political and economic science with the establishment of the economic, monetary and social union as the successful introduction of a new system was, from the point of view of the East German population, not only associated with profits, but also with disillusionment and losses. When the economic future prospects for the "new federal states" promised by the symbol of the blooming landscapes did not materialize as quickly as hoped, a rediscovery and renaissance of symbols and products from the GDR past began in the early 1990s.

Explanatory approaches

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The worsening socio-economic situation in the East, the steep increase in unemployment after reunification and the resentment that the former East German elites were replaced by the West Germans can be named as objective causes for the emergence of the Ostalgie phenomenon after German reunification . Since many East Germans were disappointed after reunification , as this did not improve their economic situation, this bitterness resulted in a memory of the "good old days". Rolf Schneider said in 1991 that "out of diffuse feelings and memories [...] the image of a GDR [emerged] that never existed like this". In addition, the hostile West German and East German leader counts, which in the East were based on criticism of the opponent, the class enemy , clashed , which led to a part of the East Germans to rebellion and melancholy .

The historian Beatrix Bouvier is of the opinion that a positive evaluation of the GDR era was only made possible by the fact that the GDR was almost seamlessly integrated into the Federal Republic of Germany . As a result, the East Germans would have experienced the benefits of the increasingly indebted and thus “on credit and at the expense of the future” social policy in the GDR, but not the resulting “actual bankruptcy ” of socialism in the GDR.

Ostalgie parties: catch-up adoption of the GDR from 1994

Motto party with GDR flag

Ostalgie parties were celebrated as private parties or in semi-public spaces. There were also semiprofessional events at which many guests appeared in GDR-typical clothing or in uniform. The festival rooms were filled to the brim with the former GDR propaganda props: paper flags, portraits, symbols, medals, trophies, flags, pennants and banners with propaganda slogans of the SED dictatorship or their abuse. There was even an Erich Honecker doppelganger from time to time. The music repertoire included Schlagerschnulzen and pop songs from the GDR and as an intermezzo, musically ironic or sarcastically recycled versions of the socialist hymns and “workers' and fighting songs” were played. The conférencier moderated the parties in the bombastic, bulky communication style of the GDR officials, which was taken to extremes.

In the 1990s there were also professional, commercial organizers of Ostalgie parties who toured across East Germany. The best known was Ralf Heckel, a record entertainer (born 1969, from Nordhausen) who organized the first Ostalgie party in 1994. According to his own statements, he organized more than 100 Ostalgie parties with around 150,000 guests from January 1995 to October 1999. The media echo nationwide and internationally was great. Heckel judged the Ossi celebration free of ideology: “It was like a 50s party, nobody is going to blow it. There are so many retro cults, why not one of those? "

Renaissance of films, comics, everyday objects and symbols of the GDR

Stand with GDR memorabilia in Berlin (2006)
Ampelmännchen in the Ampelmännchen shop in Berlin

During the Ostalgie wave, GDR everyday objects and symbols functioned as anchors of identity. Here, primarily the socialist consumer society under Honecker , and therefore the average GDR, was paid homage. B .:

In addition to Ostalgic events, there are also radio programs that deal with everyday life in the GDR and the lifestyles and objects associated with it, as well as memories of the GDR.

Marketing strategy "confessing Eastern brands"

Since 1991, products made in East Germany have gradually been available again in East German trade. While many products of local production were still considered bad copies or surrogates of the West German originals during the GDR era, Eastern products were now advertised as the real and unadulterated ones. The marketing strategy of the "confessing Eastern brands", i.e. the former GDR brands, was successful, with their former packaging, possibly also their recipe and quality being modernized, while the brand names, symbols, but also the gustatory perception for the sake of recognition value was retained . Even in GDR times ill repute Chocolate brand like Knusperflocke debuted 1990. 1998 was followed by the hit-Süßtafel Bambina . Together they achieved a turnover of DM 31 million in 1999. According to a Saxon survey of the market presence of local fresh goods in the grocery retail range, in 1993 around 40% of the fresh goods offered in every second shop came from Saxony.

Formative sales arguments

In the late 1990s, the increased economic activity considerably from Penny products from Eastern. With the increase in sales and profits and the improvement of the company's own market position, a trend reversal became apparent in the language used in advertising campaigns: Ostalgie and a strong East German self-confidence were now defining sales arguments. In addressing the target group , product advertising cleverly appealed to the memories and experiences of East Germans that had been hidden from the public. For example, the Berlin Spreequell Mineralbrunnen GmbH , which had taken over the brand name Club-Cola from the GDR, used an advertising campaign for a Cola drink with the slogan : “Hurray, I'm still alive!”. The JT International group , which had taken over the East German cigarette brand Club , acted in a similar way in product advertising in 1993 with the advertising slogan "Experience good things anew!" - connected. The advertising strategists of the Ost-Zigarette Juwel countered the Test-The-West campaign of the West brand by asking Juwel-smokers with the slogan “I smoke a jewel because I've already tested the West. Jewel one for us ”kept going. When the Rondo coffee brand was reintroduced on the market, Röstfein Kaffee GmbH in Magdeburg ( Saxony-Anhalt ) retained the original blue and silver packaging of the GDR Rondo and its position in the middle price segment. With this marketing concept, Rondo became the third strongest single brand in the East German coffee market in 1998, with sales of 6,500 tons. The GDR cigarette brand Karo - taken over by the Philip Morris concern after reunification - advertises with the slogan “Attack on the uniform taste”. Also Nudossi , the East Nutella from Radebeul , the Halloren-cream balls in Halle (Saale) or Fit-up liquid from the Oberlausitz are old East German brands that have made it to the supermarket shelves a comeback.

However, the Ostalgiker consumers often overlook the fact that many of the former Eastern products today only come from the East by name and logo, as their brands or manufacturers were taken over by Western companies. The Nordhäuser Korn brandy is now marketed by Eckes , the Spee detergent by Henkel and the cosmetics brand Florena by Beiersdorf . GDR word creations such as broiler as a name for the East German grilled chicken were also highly topical again.

  • Club Cola label in GDR times

  • Today's Club Cola logo

  • Club cigarette pack

  • Juwel cigarette pack ("Old Jewel"), 1988

  • opened box of unfiltered diamonds

  • Pack of Rondo coffee

  • Crispy flakes

  • Spreewald gherkins with glass

  • Historic products from Florena

Ostprodukte-Messe Ostpro

Another phenomenon of the Ostalgie boom are sales fairs such as the Ostprodukte fair Ostpro . The Ostpro fair has already taken place several times in Berlin with the support of the PDS party that emerged from the SED . At this large sales fair for Eastern products, at which more than 100 companies from the new federal states exhibit, relevant GDR products for Ostalgie enthusiasts are presented. The fair is mainly frequented by retirees.

An exception to the Ostalgie boom is the former VEB Rotkäppchen Sektkellerei , which has expanded its market leadership with the Rotkäppchen brand to include all of Germany and does not want to be associated with Ostalgie at the Ostpro .

Movies and TV series

The published 1999 movie Sonnenallee of Leander Haussmann was the first commercially successful film after the fall of hindsight traces on frivolous way of life in the GDR and it also places great emphasis on details, which he used also nostalgic feelings. The film Sonnenallee triggered a flood of other “wall comedies” that looked at the former GDR with a wink from a completely different point of view: 2003 came the feature film Good Bye, Lenin! in the cinemas, followed by the tragic comedy Herr Lehmann (based on the debut novel of the same name by Sven Regener ), in 2004 the east-west comedy Kleinruppin forever appeared , in 2005 the film comedy NVA (also by Haußmann), and in 2006 the love drama Der Rote Kakadu was published . RTL broadcast the Ostalgie series My most beautiful years about the life of a young East Berliner in the 1980s, but it was discontinued after eight episodes due to the low ratings.

Ostalgie shows

In the second half of 2003, several GDR shows began on television that were devoted to everyday life in the GDR.

On August 17, 2003, ZDF started Die Ostalgie-Show with the presenters Andrea Kiewel and Marco Schreyl . There were 4.78 million viewers (market share 21.8 percent); one in three in the new federal states watched the show. Moderator Kiewel clenched her right fist, raised her arm and shouted: “Be ready for peace and socialism! "The audience replied in chorus:" Always ready. "

On August 22, 2003, Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk (MDR) began broadcasting six episodes of its Friday “Ein Kessel DDR” weekly, moderated by Franziska Schenk and Gunther Emmerlich , with a rate of 22.8 percent. On August 23, 2003, Sat 1 followed with the two-part program "Meyer & Schulz - The Ultimate Eastern Show" with Axel Schulz and Ulrich Meyer . From September 3, 2003, RTL broadcast the four-part "GDR Show - From Ampelmännchen to Central Committee". Katarina Witt , who led the show with Oliver Geissen, wore an FDJ blouse as the presenter .

Criticism and discourse about political symbols of the GDR

Critics object that in the context of nostalgia, the socio-political and economic conditions that prevailed in the GDR are ignored, suppressed or glossed over. The historian Hubertus Knabe initiated a nationwide debate on banning GDR symbols that stand for the dictatorship of the SED : the state coat of arms, the badges of the SED, FDJ and MfS, and possibly hammer and sickle . The former East German civil rights and the Berlin CDU - member of the Bundestag Günter Nooke called in response to the Witt in the GDR show worn blue shirt FDJ legal action against the showing of GDR symbols. Nooke referred to a judgment of the constitutional court from the year 1954. The judges had declared the West German FDJ to be an unconstitutional organization, pronounced a ban and thus also prohibited the display of their symbols.

See also

literature

  • Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Political Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2005. ISBN 978-3-931426-96-5 . ( Digitized ; PDF; 186 kB)
  • Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie. On East German experiences and reactions after the upheaval. State Center for Civic Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2016, ISBN 978-3-943588-72-9 .
  • Eva Banchelli: Ostalgie: a preliminary balance sheet , in Fabrizio Cambi (ed.): Memory and Identity. German literature after reunification , Koenigshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 2008, pp. 57–68, ISBN 978-3-8260-3788-7 .
  • Daphne Berdahl: Ostalgie and East German longing for a remembered past. In: Thomas Hauschild (Ed.): Inspecting Germany. International contemporary Germany ethnography. Lit, Münster u. a 2002, pp. 476–495, ISBN 3-8258-6123-6 . * Jens Bisky : Zonensucht. Critique of the new Ostalgie. In: Mercury. German magazine for European thinking. 658 (2004), vol. 58, pp. 117-127.
  • David Clarke, William Niven (Eds.): Special Theme Issue: Beyond Ostalgie. East and West German identity in contemporary German culture. In: Seminar. A Journal of Germanic Studies. 3 (2004), vol. 40, pp. 187-312.
  • Paul Cooke: Representing East Germany since unification. From colonization to nostalgia. Oxford 2005.
  • Jonathan Grix, Paul Cooke (eds.): East German distinctiveness in a unified Germany (=  The new Germany in context ). Birmingham 2002. * Thomas Leurer, Thomas Goll (Eds.): Ostalgie als memory culture ? Symposium on song and politics in the GDR (=  Würzburg University publications on history and politics , Volume 6). Baden-Baden 2004.
  • Katja Neller: “Risen from the ruins?” The phenomenon of GDR nostalgia. In: Oscar Gabriel, Jürgen Falter , Hans Rattinger (eds.): Does what belongs together grow together? Stability and Change of Political Attitudes in Reunified Germany. Baden-Baden Nomos 2005. pp. 339-381. ISBN 978-3-8329-1663-3 .
  • Katja Neller: GDR nostalgia: dimensions of the orientations of East Germans towards the former GDR, their causes and political connotations. Springer-Verlag, 2006. ISBN 978-3-531-15118-2 (The work was accepted as a dissertation in 2005 by the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences at the University of Stuttgart .)
  • Simone Schmollack and Katrin Weber-Klüver: Back then in the GDR - Stories of farewell and departure . Structure, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-351-02722-3 .
  • Vanessa Watkins: Ostalgiehows - memory concepts of the mass media. About the impossibility of objective remembering. In: Elize Bisanz: Discursive cultural studies. Analytical approaches to symbolic formations of post-western identity in Germany. LIT, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-8258-8762-6 , pp. 77-87.

Web links

Wiktionary: Ostalgie  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
Wikiversity: Historical Notes on East German GDR Nostalgia.  - course materials

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Nicole Völtz in: Konstantin Hermann (Ed.): Saxony since the peaceful revolution. Tradition, change, perspectives. Special edition of the Saxon State Center for Political Education. Sax-Verlag 2010. p. 217.
  2. ↑ Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Civic Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2015.
  3. ↑ Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Political Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2015. p. 7.
  4. ↑ Rita Bartl, Susan Dankert, Theresa Hiepe and Imke Münnich: Ostalgie in society and literature: “At the shorter end of Sonnenallee” by Thomas Brussig. ScienceFactory 2013. p. 10f.
  5. ↑ Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Civic Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2005. p. 66.
  6. ↑ Katja Neller: GDR nostalgia: dimensions of the orientations of East Germans towards the former GDR, their causes and political connotations. Springer-Verlag, 2006. S. 43ff, S. 117ff.
  7. ↑ Katja Neller: GDR nostalgia: dimensions of the orientations of East Germans towards the former GDR, their causes and political connotations. Springer-Verlag, 2006. pp. 117f.
  8. ^ Nicole Völtz in: Konstantin Hermann (Hrsg.): Saxony since the peaceful revolution. Tradition, change, perspectives. Special edition of the Saxon State Center for Political Education. Sax-Verlag 2010. p. 225.
  9. ↑ Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Political Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2015. p. 7.
  10. ↑ Beatrix Bouvier: The GDR - a welfare state? Social policy in the Honecker era , Bonn 2002, p. 10.
  11. ↑ Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Civic Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2015. P. 43f.
  12. ↑ Ralf Heckel: “This is not just slapstick” or how Ralf Heckel wanted to advertise a radio station and thus invented the Ostalgiepartys - pp. 257–266 in: Simone Schmollack and Katrin Weber-Klüver: Back then in the GDR - Stories of Farewell and departure . Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-351-02722-3
  13. ↑ a b What was left of the GDR - from A to Z. FAZ , September 22, 2014, archived from the original on August 12, 2016 .;
  14. ↑ Stuart Taberner and Paul Cooke: German culture, politics, and literature into the twenty-first century: beyond normalization. Vol. 102. Camden House, 2006. pp. 90f.
  15. ↑ Tobias Schreiter: Ostalgie-Hostel: Good night, Mr. Honecker! spon.
  16. ↑ a b Thomas Ahbe: Ostalgie: To deal with the GDR past in the 1990s. State Center for Civic Education Thuringia, Erfurt 2015. pp. 45–50.
  17. ↑ a b Katja Neller: GDR nostalgia: dimensions of the orientations of East Germans towards the former GDR, their causes and political connotations. Springer-Verlag, 2006. p. 51.
  18. ↑ Peter Littmann : Nothing new in the east. Littmann sees it. welt.de August 17, 2003.
  19. ↑ Visit to the Ostpro "Wonderful, what shit we had!" Handelsblatt October 17, 2015 .; Domain of the Ostprodukte-Messe OSTPRO .
  20. ↑ Rita Bartl, Susan Dankert, Theresa Hiepe and Imke Münnich: Ostalgie in society and literature: “At the shorter end of Sonnenallee” by Thomas Brussig. ScienceFactory Verlag 2013. ISBN 978-3-95687-028-6 , p. 11 and p. 144.
  21. ^ "Ostalgie-Show" memory cackling
  22. ↑ Stasi expert Knabe calls for a ban on GDR symbols , on morgenpost.de
  23. ↑ Even in the dictatorship, everyday life is human. Whether GDR or Nazi Reich: In retrospect, people glorify normal apolitical life / By Günter Nooke , on tagesspiegel.de
  24. ↑ Junge Union wants to ban GDR symbols , on fr.de, accessed on April 1, 2019