This encyclopedic volume features around 2,000 items from its extraordinary collections. A counterfactual spy thriller set in east berlin in the early 1990s. Its about 800 pages that detail all spheres of daily life in east germany. Aug 25, 2009 east is east, but the east of the west was and remains gritty, workingclass kreuzberg. The books id recommend you start with are paul gleyes book behind the wall. As usual, i must begin by saying life in germany is awesome and living here absolutely rules. Born in the gdr offers a more nuanced portrait of life in. In a narrative told from the perspective of a sixyearold child, this memoir shares the realities of what life was like during that time and what needed. It offers an important historical account, from the perspective of a native german, about the aftermath of reuniting the country after. Schmidt, who grew up in the former east german state of thuringia, was actually living in berlin on november 9, 1989, when guards opened the borders between east and west germany. May 15, 2015 east germany s dark past is revealed at the vast former hq of the stasi, our expat columnist discovers. Apr 07, 2020 uprising in east germany 1953 by christian f. I read a lot of longing for the good old days in the answers posted yet. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five books.
The years following that magical event are much more difficult to describe. In this gripping narrative, john koehler details the widespread activities of east germany s ministry for state security, or stasi. I dont think theres a better book than this or perhaps heinrich bolls the silent angel to show what it must have felt like to be. East german distinctiveness in a unified germany grix u. Not just in terms of buildings and cars, but also by peoples approach to life. Life science is committed to providing you with worldclass service and products. I chose this because i think it really epitomises the vengeance that took place against germans in germany in the aftermath of the war.
Its recently published by taschen, and readily available on the usual sites who have books. Apr 25, 2014 in this compassionate memoir, translated by shaun whiteside, leo examines his familys deep connections with east germany his warhero grandfather gerhard, his committed yet disillusioned. Out of several books set in berlin, berlin game is one of his most compelling. Born in the gdr offers a more nuanced portrait of life. Author, thomas brussig had grown up with the berlin wall and in 1997 he released his brilliantly penned satire centring on klaus uhltzcht, an east german who grows up across the street from the ministry of state security. List of books and articles about east germany online research.
In this gripping narrative, john koehler details the widespread activities of east germanys ministry for state security, or stasi. Although germany existed as a loose polity of germanicspeaking peoples for millennia, a united german nation in roughly its present form dates only to 1871. Book recommendations on east germany and other eastern. Traveling is one of the best ways to experience everything life has to offer.
He must travel deep into the heart of communist germany and betray his. An american in east germany, 19881989 and mary fulbrook, the peoples state. Three of the best books about germany the telegraph. Germany to germany is his personal diary chronicling his travels throughout reunified germany in the months that followed the fall of the berlin wall. Thats more than half the life span of the east german state, a smokeandmirrors contraption conjured from the rubble. Instead of juggling passports, time zones, and phrase books, introduce your kids to a bit of germany with some books that are set in germany, written by germans, or feature important aspects of german culture. The stasi, which infiltrated every walk of east german life, suppressed political opposition, and caused the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of citizens, proved to be one of the most powerful secret police and espionage services in the world. To the victims of communist tyranny, 19451989 in the courtyard at the. The original 1949 version of the east german constitution did not provide for censorship of the press, but did guarantee in article 9, section 2 that censorship of the media is not to occur. Since 1989, east germany has gradually adopted west german living standards.
The western powers foster the development of a parliamentary democracy, while the soviet union opens the door for socialism in the east. Born in the gdr offers a more nuanced portrait of life in the former. East germanys dark past is revealed at the vast former hq of the stasi, our expat columnist discovers. Do east germans regret the fall of the berlin wall. I would suggest buying a copy of the east german handbook. I have, however, learned a thing or two about the harsh realities of life in this fine country.
Oct 21, 2019 written at the end of the 19th century, fontanes novel tells the story of a way of life that was also on its way out, with the unification of germany and its rapid modernisation. Then again i was in a bookshop that i hadnt been in before, so i was in that frame of mind to actually find a book, and sure enough this one was sitting there in the nonfiction section. Remembering east germany 10 december 2018 brisbane i guess this is one of those books that i simply grabbed because of the title. Modern germany is a liberal democracy that has become. Books on the gdr in english radio gdr east germany podcast.
His berlin is both corrupted and corrupting, west as well as east. The author does a great job of putting the information shared in these letters in the historical context of life in east germany and what was happening in the world on the other side of the wall. Then again i was in a bookshop that i hadnt been in before, so i was in that frame of mind to actually find a book, and sure enough this. The majority of those interviewed had the attitude that things werent that bad in east germany. The victorious allies divide germany into four zones. East germans massively went after material wealth, wanting to buy stuff that they had only seen on tv before. Aug, 2009 the years following that magical event are much more difficult to describe. Your next books is an anonymous autobiographical account.
Based on our xlsized volume, this edition includes a full spectrum of art, archives, and artifacts from socialist east germany. Red love, a memoir of east germany the new york times. Once the wall went up in 1961 life for east berlin began to improve under the communist system. In this compassionate memoir, translated by shaun whiteside, leo examines his familys deep connections with east germany his warhero grandfather gerhard, his committed yet disillusioned. Our products will not only improve the quality of your life and business, but also increase your joy. Bobos recipe for success seems to be simple drawings about everyday life in the zoo. He also recorded his experiences, observations, and judgments of life in east berlin after reunification, which failed to bring about the postcommunist paradise so many had expected. Jul 08, 20 as usual, i must begin by saying life in germany is awesome and living here absolutely rules. A huge wall separates judenstaat from fascist germany, and great educational and cultural efforts are made to prove that saxony is the cradle of germanjewish culture. Two novels set there capture the days immediately preceding that fateful 9 november. Born in the gdr offers a more nuanced portrait of life in the former east germany.
In san francisco, an east german restaurant is a portal to. The book captures the reality of life behind the wall, as people work to. Were going to do nothing now because there is no alternative except war. This intriguing but frustrating memoir, a bestseller in germany, portrays the disorientation of her generatio. Photo by the eminent german photographer michael ruetz, courtesy of the deutsches historisches museum. Robert grew up in the german democratic republic, also known as the former east germany, and. Life behind the wall east berlin simple book production. Many east germans believed that communism was fairer than capitalist west german. Nov 09, 2019 in august 1961, the german democratic republic east germany began erecting a barrier to prevent east berliners and other easternbloc citizens from fleeing into west berlin. It is also tough to pull off, especially with kids. Discover librarianselected research resources on east germany from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines. Thus, she spent an inordinate amount of her youth nosing through books that she shouldnt have been reading, and watching movies that she shouldnt have been watching. Growing up in east germany my childhood series volume 1.
What if the jewish state had been created in east germany. Since 1997, bookfinder has made it easy to find any book at the best price. In august 1961, the german democratic republic east germany began erecting a barrier to prevent east berliners and other easternbloc citizens from fleeing into west berlin. Up until that point, narratives of eastwest dichotomy were fairly black. The popular german game was created by dissidents in communist east germany years ago as a satire about power and corruption. Yvonne jones was born in former east germany to a german mother and a vietnamese father two adamant readers and advocates of literature. To understand life in east germany, all you need is this board. Hensel was born in leipzig, east germany, in 1976 and was when the berlin wall fell. Commonly described as a communist state in english usage, it described itself as a socialist. Its full of photos, and is written in both english and german. The incursions of modern patterns of life and global forms of entertainment, from fast food to hollywood films, have weakened the traditional arts, entertainments, and customs of regional and rural germany, although this has occurred somewhat less so in southern germany, where the older arts and usages have persisted concurrently with a. Many report having suffered psychological and physical abuse. People had excellent healthcare facilities and free public transport. Living a very private life in maine, in touch only with his daughter and still trying to.
Author christopher hilton interviewed a number of east germans for his 2008 book after the berlin wall. But what was life like in east germany during the wall. Whether you want the cheapest reading copy or a specific collectible edition, with bookfinder, youll find just the right book. Walter ulbrichts image beams at two east german boys. By the time he left germany in 1960, agee, once an enthusiastic red diaper.
Anything by fulbrook is going to be a good read and her work is an excellent place to start. Written at the end of the 19th century, fontanes novel tells the story of a way of life that was also on its way out, with the unification of germany and its rapid modernisation. For over 10 years, we have been servicing the needs of distributors and we are focused on supporting your success. By wibke bruhns 2008 decades after nazi armies began their march of conquest and genocide, the german children of the. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five. The federal republic of germany is founded in the west with the promulgation of. Modern germany is a liberal democracy that has become ever more integrated with and central to a united europe. What follows is yet another list of discoveries, oddities and annoyances revealed as an expat american living in hannover, germany. The former east germany, gdr, ddr 170 books goodreads. To understand life in east germany, all you need is this.
He also recorded his experiences, observations, and judgments of life in east berlin after reunification, which failed to bring about the. Spymaster bernie samson crosses and recrosses east berlin checkpoints as he schemes to get an operative out of the. Novels set in germany score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Robert grew up in the german democratic republic, also known as the former east germany, and when the berlin wall fell in 1989 and east and west. Soviet military administration in germany organised censorship in east germany in 1945. You had enough food to eat and enough booze to drink, but. With the german democratic republic effectively taken over by west germany in the reunification process, nothing in their lives was immune from change and upheaval. The changes that followed the fall of the berlin wall in november 1989 were particularly dramatic for east germans. From 1949 to 1990, east germany was almost completely closed off to foreigners. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. Jan 07, 2015 when robert was 15 years old, he lost his country. Thats more than half the life span of the east german state, a smokeandmirrors contraption conjured from the rubble of world war ii that has become, for those who. East germany, officially the german democratic republic gdr.
Jul 30, 2003 traveling throughout east germany, he evaluated the failures as well as the successes of the gdrs socialist experiment. Sep 30, 2014 the popular german game was created by dissidents in communist east germany years ago as a satire about power and corruption. Traveling throughout east germany, he evaluated the failures as well as the successes of the gdrs socialist experiment. The people of germany lived in and often simply accepted the new normal that came with the rise of fascism a state of normalcy that, if the war had ended differently, could have become normal, everyday life for much of the rest of europe as well. Through these letters, ordinary east germans described their dreams for their lives over the course of many years of correspondence. Gunter grass is a nobel prizewinning german author who predominantly wrote during germany s postwar era. Witty, provocative and apt, heroes like us was the first of many novels to make a comment on the downfall of east germany. With hundreds of cities having suffered significant bombing and firestorm damage through. Through these letters, ordinary east germans described their dreams for their lives over the course of. Born in east germany in 1938, she was just six years old when the war and its fallout struck her and her family. The book details the life of professional cyclist harry seidel and his.
A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. East germany during the wall may day celebration, east berlin, 1 may 1964. East is east, but the east of the west was and remains gritty, workingclass kreuzberg. Top 10 books about the berlin wall books the guardian.
681 1174 144 350 1042 703 1306 325 273 171 998 1143 501 1195 594 823 334 775 1391 780 1230 458 1011 680 1221 166 882 266 526 178 1301 714 1294 1321 432 247