Map of Occupation Zones in Germany in 1945 and borders of the German Reich in 1937
Course Description: GR 329--The German Democratic Republic. An overview of historical,
political, and cultural developments from the end of World War II to the
unification of the German states in 1990, with consideration of important
works of literature and film in the context of Marxist cultural politics. No
prerequisite. Readings and discussion in English. (Offered alternate years).
1 unit.
II.
Texts:
Childs, David, The GDR:
Moscow's Germany Ally
Wolf, Christa, No Place on Earth
Wolf, Christa, What Remains
Plenzdorf, Ulrich, The New Sorrows of Young W.
Kunze, Reiner, The Wonderful Years (excerpts)
Müller, Heinrich, The Rate Buster
Braun, Volker, Unfinished Story
Becker, Jurek, Jacob the Liar
Various xeroxed handouts
III. Films: Battle for Berlin
Jacob the Liar
Divided Heaven
The Murderers Are Among Us
III.
Assignments:
a. One paper,
6-8 pages on Volker Brown's Unfinished Story.
Due Monday, week IV.
b.
Final exam, Wednesday, week IV
IV.
Grading:
paper - 1/3
Final exam -1/3
Class participation - 1/3
Week
1: Introduction to the GDR:
German History review prior to 1945
(Film: The Fall of Berlin)
1945-49 (Film:
The Murderers are among us)
Geography
The special situation of Berlin
The GDR 1949-61
Political structure
The Wall, 1961
1961-1989
The Honecker era
The fall and unification
The New Federal states
Week
2:
The GDR and its Institutions:
Education
Economy
Ideology and Society
The arts: film, painting, music
Literature in the GDR: an overview and theory
Zhdanov: On Socialist
literature
Müller, The Rate Buster
Week
3:
Wolf, Divided Heaven (See
film)
Kunze, The Wonderful Years
Plenzdorf, The New Sorrows of
Young W.
Becker, Jacob the Liar (See
film)
Week
4:
Wolf, No Place on Earth
Wolf, What Remains