Journalism Section at the Karl Marx University in Leipzig

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Main building of the Journalism Section in Tieckstrasse, still known as the "Institute for Journalism and Newspaper Studies" (1953)

The journalism section at the Karl Marx University in Leipzig offered the only university course for training as a journalist in the GDR . The section was founded in 1954 under the name of the Faculty of Journalism and renamed the Journalism Section in 1968 . Due to the importance that the party and state leadership attached to the political and ideological orientation of the GDR journalists, the journalism section was under the direct supervision of the "Agitation and Propaganda" department of the Ministry for State Security . Colloquially, the facility was also referred to as the Red Monastery because of the institute building decorated with red porphyry . Graduates of the journalism course carry the academic degree "Diplom-Journalist". The journalism section in Leipzig was dissolved after German reunification in December 1990 and replaced by the Institute for Communication and Media Studies .

history

Foundation, organization and locations

"Rote Villa" in Tieckstrasse (as in 2010), the first location of the journalism section
University skyscraper (center) on Karl-Marx-Platz (1982), second location of the journalism section

After the end of the Second World War and the reopening of the universities in the Soviet occupation zone , the Soviet Military Administration (SMAD) set up academic training for journalists only in Leipzig. In August 1951 Wilhelm Eildermann was appointed professor at Leipzig University and director of the newly created Institute for Journalism and Newspaper Studies. Eildermann, who was editor-in-chief of KPD newspapers before 1933 and editor-in-chief of the press service in the Central Committee of the SED from 1947 until his appointment in 1951, was appointed without a doctorate, which was unusual at universities even in the GDR in the 1950s. In 1954 the institute officially became the "Faculty of Journalism", and Hermann Budzislawski took over as dean . In 1963, the management of the faculty passed to Wolfgang Rödel . From 1965 to 1967, Franz Knipping's dean's office followed . In 1968 the faculty was renamed "Journalism Section". The last director of the journalism section before the “ Wende ” was from 1978 to 1989 Gerhard Fuchs , who had previously been editor-in-chief of the SED district newspapers Das Volk and Freie Wort for 15 years .

In 1951 the Faculty of Journalism moved into a villa with cladding made of Rochlitz porphyry tuff in Tieckstrasse 2-6, southeast of the Scheibenholz racecourse . On the area between Tieckstrasse, Fockestrasse and Kurt-Eisner-Strasse there was also accommodation for the students. This meant that journalism was more than three kilometers from the Leipzig University campus. The section later moved into the university skyscraper, which was completed in 1972 .

Admission, course content and political influence

In addition to the Abitur, the admission requirement was a one-year traineeship in a press, radio or television editorial office. Specific to the GDR was the central allocation of all study places and in the 1950s and 1960s the delegation to study by state- owned companies . Both ensured that only applicants who appeared “politically reliable” were admitted. Party membership in the SED was an advantage for applicants, but not mandatory. In the 1980s, applicants had to pass a one-week entrance examination after completing their internship, which took place in Bad Saarow . In 1989 only three of the 100 lecturers were not members of the SED.

The course lasted four years. It was divided into one year of basic studies, two years of specialist studies and one year of special studies. The “socialist theory” and the basics of journalism were in the foreground in the basic course. Theoretical and practical training took place in the specialist course, while the subjects specializing in a certain medium followed in the special course. The aim of the socialist conception of the press was to spread Marxism-Leninism to all sections of the population. The GDR state party officially defined the journalist as follows: "Functional of the party of the working class, of another bloc party (in the case of multi-party systems under socialism) or of a social organization and the socialist state power who takes part in the management of ideological processes through journalistic means. It helps to strengthen the trust between the people and the party and the state. (...) Through word and image, he has a targeted influence on the formation, development and consolidation of the people's socialist consciousness. "

Since the planning of the number of graduates was based on the requirements of the media, the graduates were almost certain of a place in an editorial office. The assignment of the qualified journalist to their future employers was carried out by the agitation department in the Central Committee of the SED or by the press office at the GDR Council of Ministers . The only other way to become a journalist in the GDR was through the Leipzig Technical School for Journalism of the Association of Journalists of the GDR . Theoretical training at this institution, which is more like a journalism school , was mainly carried out by lecturers from the journalism section.

The students, lecturers and other employees of the journalism section were in the focus of the state security's interest for two reasons : On the one hand, the journalism section and thus the future representatives of “partisan journalism” had to be shielded from the feared influence of “ political-ideological diversion ” and weed out potentially "unreliable" students. On the other hand, journalists were ideally suited as unofficial employees (IM) due to frequent trips, interviews, a large number of contacts and insights into the most diverse living environments. For this purpose, comprehensive viewing and, if necessary, perspective advertising of students took place in the journalism section. The main authority responsible for international espionage (HVA) had the first right of access , which primarily recruited journalists with the prospect of working as a travel cadre - and thus traveling to western countries. According to MfS Lieutenant Colonel Günter Bohnsack , himself a graduate of the Journalism section, all students in the section were basically recorded by the HVA and blocked from access by other MfS service units. These could only access students if the HVA did not want to or could not carry out an advertisement. A former HVA executive officer stated in 2002 that "[z] two to three people per seminar group" always belonged to the State Security. H. IM were. A seminar group consisted of 18 to 20 students.

End and aftermath

Under the impression of the peaceful revolution in the GDR , a new section leadership was installed in November 1989. Günter Raue, previously Vice-Rector for Education and Training, became the new director. His deputies were Klaus Preisigke, previously head of the TV journalism chair, and the press historian Hans Poerschke. In a vote of confidence in December 1989, Raue and Preisigke were deposed and Poerschke took over the management. At the end of 1989, the first and second year of study were sent home to work on a new teaching program. In December 1990 the institute was wound up.

Two thirds of all GDR journalists studied in Leipzig; between 1954 and 1990 more than 5000 graduates received their diplomas, 3,500 of them in direct studies. Well-known graduates include journalists Maybrit Illner , Sabine Adler , Victor Grossman , photojournalist Gabriele Senft , Alexander Osang and writers Daniela Dahn and Reiner Kunze .

Among the graduates of the Section journalism whose career advancement in the West German media and political operation was complicated by their IM activities include Dorte Caspary , in 1999 as a party spokeswoman for the SPD was provided, the MDR presenter Ingo Dubinsky , who, however, even before his studies was recruited in Leipzig, and the ARD sports coordinator Hagen Boßdorf . According to Boßdorf's memory, his first meeting with a Stasi employee was arranged by a lecturer in the journalism section during Boßdorf's studies.

Professors

This list contains the total of 25 full and associate professors at the Faculty of Journalism (1954–1968) and the Journalism Section (1969–1990) according to the professors' catalog of the University of Leipzig . Persons who only had one teaching assignment are not listed.

Surname Life
data		 Journalism professorship from to promotion Habilitation, offices and other things
Beckert, Fritz * 1925 educational Psychology 1975 1990 1958 Leipzig 1962 Habil. In Leipzig, 1965–1975 Prof. at the TH Karl-Marx-Stadt .
Boldt, Uwe 1928-2012 Management and planning in socialist journalism 1969 1990 1963 Leipzig
Bruhn, Heinrich 1913-1986 History of Russian Journalism 1954 1977 no Vice Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Budzislawski, Hermann 1901-1978 History of the German press 1953 1966 1923 Tuebingen 1954–1963 Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Dusiska, Emil 1914-2002 Theory and Practice of the Socialist Press 1965 1978 1965 Berlin 1967–1968 Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Eildermann, Wilhelm 1897-1988 Methodology of journalistic practice 1951 1957 no 1954–1957 Vice Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Fuchs, Gerhard 1929-2019 Journalistic work process 1974 1990 1977 Leipzig 1978–1989 Director of the Journalism Section
Grubitzsch, Jürgen * 1937 Journalistic methodology 1988 1990 1971 Leipzig
Halbach, Heinz 1930-2014 Theory and methodology of socialist specialist journalism 1977 1990 1965 Leipzig 1977 Prom. B , 1969–1990 teaching position at the NVA military academy
Herzfelde, Wieland 1896-1988 Sociology of Modern Literature 1954 1961 no 1949–1954 professor for sociology / literature at the University of Leipzig.
Hoffmann, Arnold 1927-2001 Journalistic methodology 1972 1987 1963 Leipzig 1968–1972 Deputy Section Director for Research
Knipping, Franz * 1931 Contemporary history of German journalism 1965 1967 1961 Leipzig 1969 Habil., 1965–1967 Dean of the Faculty, then ND
Michaelis, Werner * 1925 Stylistics of the literary-journalistic genres 1972 1986 1964 Leipzig 1968–1973 Vice Dean or Deputy Director for Education and Training
Poerschke, Hans * 1937 Journalism theory 1983 1990 1969 Leipzig 1989–1990 Deputy Director for Research
Pötschke, Joachim * 1924 German language style 1977 1989 1962 Leipzig 1965–1968 Vice Dean for Young Scientists
Preisigke, Klaus * 1939 Theory and Practice of Television Journalism 1988 1990 1972 Leipzig 1980 Prom. B , 1989 head of the section
Raue, Günter 1938-2015 History of journalism 1986 1990 1965 Leipzig 1983 Prom. B , 1989–90 Director of the Journalism Section
Rödel, Wolfgang 1924-2007 Broadcast journalism 1962 1987 1955 Jena 1963–1965 Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Röhr, Karl-Heinz * 1935 Basics of journalistic methodology 1986 1990 1960 Leipzig 1977 Prom. B
Römhild, Arnd 1914-1991 Press journalism 1975 1980 1969 Leipzig
Schulze, Rolf 1926-2009 Literary and journalistic genres 1981 1990 1964 Leipzig 1979 Prom. B , 1978–1983 deputy director for education and training
Spiru, Basil 1898-1969 History of the Soviet press and people's democracies 1955 1958 1956 Leipzig 1958–1964 Professor of History at the University of Leipzig
Teubner, Hans 1902-1992 Theory and practice of press work 1957 1959 1972 Berlin 1957–1959 Vice Dean of the Faculty of Journalism
Voegt, Hedwig 1903-1988 Literary journalism and style 1959 1963 1952 Jena 1961–1963 Vice Dean for Young Scientists
Wittenbecher, Wolfgang 1926-2005 Theory and Practice of Journalism 1969 1990 1966 Leipzig 1958–1966 Deputy JW Editor in Chief, 1974–1989 Editor in Chief. the TPSJ

literature

Web links

Commons : Journalism section  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Lothar Mertens : Priest of the Klio or court chronicler of the party? Collective biographical analyzes of the GDR historians . V & R unipress, Göttingen 2006, ISBN 3-89971-307-9 , p. 93.
  2. ^ A b c Hermann Budzislawski in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 117044369 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1923 at the University of Tübingen.
  3. ↑ a b c Wolfgang Rödel in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 132617994 . Doctorate to Dr. phil. 1955 at the University of Jena.
  4. ↑ a b Franz Knipping in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 137589484 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1961 at the University of Leipzig, habilitation in 1969 there.
  5. ↑ a b c Gerhard Fuchs in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND -Nr .: 20872477X  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1977 at the University of Leipzig.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / d-nb.info  
  6. ^ Andreas Zerbst: Alternative quarters and new building sites for the university from 1945-60 . In: Brief building history of the University of Leipzig . University of Leipzig, Leipzig 2009.
  7. ^ First location of the Faculty of Journalism, Tieckstrasse, Leipzig
  8. ↑ Ulf Köhler: Learning to write for the party? . In: Friday No. 46/1999 of November 12, 1999.
  9. ↑ Uwe Müller: The silence of the journalists . In: Listen and Look . Issue 69 (03/2010), ISSN  1437-6164 , pp. 20ff. ( Table of contents )
  10. ^ Section Journalism at the Karl Marx University: "Dictionary of Socialist Journalism". Leipzig 1981, p. 111
  11. ^ Heinz Pürer, Johannes Raabe: Press in Germany . UVK, Konstanz 2007, ISBN 3-8252-8334-8 , pp. 179-180.
  12. ↑ Steffen Reichert: Transformation processes: the conversion of the LVZ . Lit, Münster 2002, ISBN 3-8258-4487-0 , SS 50.
  13. ^ A b Frank Nordhausen: Seminar group 606 . In: Berliner Zeitung of February 13, 2002, p. 3.
  14. ↑ Tim Herden: End of a business trip . In: The Friday of April 24th 2010.
  15. ↑ Maik Henschke and Johannes David: From the “Red Monastery” to the Institute for KMW - Leipzig Journalism through the Ages . In. UNCOVER , online magazine of Leipzig Journalism from July 12, 2006.
  16. ↑ Great Success - The Careers of Former GDR Journalists ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www3.ndr.de archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Zapp , first broadcast on May 16, 2007 ( Ethics and Journalism series )
  17. ↑ Gunter Hofmann: Lonely tip . In: Die ZEIT No. 7/1999.
  18. ↑ I feel a moral guilt . In: FAZ of December 7, 2005.
  19. ↑ a b c Fritz Beckert in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 13566120X . Doctorate to Dr. paed. 1958 at the University of Leipzig, habilitation for educational psychology in 1962 there.
  20. ↑ a b Uwe Boldt in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 106685406 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1963 at the University of Leipzig.
  21. ^ Heinrich Bruhn in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 103145893 .
  22. ↑ a b Emil Dusiska in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 111786207 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. oec. 1965 at the Institute for Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the SED in East Berlin.
  23. ^ Wilhelm Eildermann in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 105423017 .
  24. ↑ a b Jürgen Grubitzsch in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 108727513 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1971 at the University of Leipzig.
  25. ^ A b Heinz Halbach in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 106082949 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1965 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. pol. 1977 there.
  26. ^ Wieland Herzfelde in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 118703951 .
  27. ^ A b Arnold Hoffmann in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 137182554 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1963 at the University of Leipzig
  28. ^ A b Werner Michaelis in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 139990461 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1964 at the University of Leipzig.
  29. ↑ a b Hans Poerschke in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 107246082 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1969 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. pol. 1982 there.
  30. ↑ a b Joachim Pötschke in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 105423033 . Doctorate to Dr. phil. 1962 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. phil. 1977 there.
  31. ^ A b Section Journalism at the Karl Marx University Leipzig in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 157096734 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1972 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. pol. 1980 there.
  32. ^ A b Günter Raue in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 106082965 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1965 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. pol. 1983 there.
  33. ↑ a b Karl-Heinz Röhr in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 106223593 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1966 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. pol. 1978 there.
  34. ^ A b Arnd Römhild in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 107246791 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1969 at the University of Leipzig.
  35. ↑ a b Rolf Schulze in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 105508667 . Doctorate to Dr. phil. 1964 at the University of Leipzig, doctorate to Dr. sc. phil. 1979 there.
  36. ↑ a b Basil Spiru in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 137003293 . Doctorate to Dr. rer. oec. 1956 at the University of Leipzig.
  37. ^ A b Hans Teubner in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 108437698 . Doctorate to Dr. phil. 1972 at the Institute for Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the SED in East Berlin.
  38. ^ A b Hedwig Voegt in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 13684412X . Doctorate to Dr. phil. 1952 at the University of Jena.
  39. ↑ a b Wolfgang Wittenbecher in the professorial catalog of the University of Leipzig . GND no .: 10622364X . Doctorate to Dr. rer. pole. 1966 at the University of Leipzig.