Conflict and Compromise in East Germany, 1971–1989

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Conflict and Compromise in East Germany, 1971–1989 A Precarious Stability

Jeannette Z. Madarász

© Jeannette Z. Madarász 2003 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2003 978-1-4039-1568-9 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2003 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 Companies and representatives throughout the world PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-51237-9

ISBN 978-1-4039-3836-7 (eBook)

DOI 10.1057/9781403938367 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Madarász, Jeannette Z., 1973– Conflict and compromise in East Germany, 1971–1989/ Jeannette Z. Madarász. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1–4039–1568–7 1. Germany (East)—Social conditions. 2. Social groups—Germany (East). I. Title. HN460.5.A8M33 2003 306⬘.0943⬘1—dc21 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03

2003040520

To my parents, Albert and Bärbel Madarász

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Contents Preface

x

Acknowledgements

xi

Glossary

1

xii

Introduction

1

Introduction The four groups Historiography Totalitarianism Useful alternatives Writers Women Youth Christians Sources and methods Periodisation Structure Summary

1 2 5 5 8 10 12 14 15 17 21 24 25

2 Central Policy

27

Honecker after Ulbricht Integration and social policy ‘Wer die Jugend hat, der besitzt die Zukunft’ Control and privilege ‘Muttipolitik’ – the regime’s greatest success? Changing stereotypes Inspiration and loyalty The threat of a ‘Kirchenkampf’ Common issues A dangerous link Problems of policy Loss of continuity vii

27 30 32 33 37 40 42 46 51 52 53 55

viii Contents

3 State Institutions Success and failure Shaping the young generation Limitations of the FDJ The role of Margot Honecker Institutional shortcomings and emancipation The DFD Controlling the written word The work of censorship institutions Dealing with an outsider – the Churches The CDU An alternative institution Summary 4 Diversity Self-perception of the four groups The female approach Female writers as facilitators of change The established writer The alternative literary scene Young rebels Young people’s attitudes Christian youth – a different experience Christians and the state Christian women The isolation of Christian writers Conclusion 5 Tensions Social division: a consequence of privilege Implications of forced conformity The refusal to participate A minority looking for alternatives Generational conflict Isolation tactics The outsider position of Christians Men versus women? State control Implications

58 58 60 62 66 68 73 76 83 85 87 90 92 93 94 97 100 101 103 105 108 110 111 113 115 117 118 119 121 122 123 125 128 130 132 137 139

Contents ix

6

Communication within GDR Society

142

Communication Managing conflicts The petition system Petitions from Christians and Christian groups The Ministry for State Security Structure Accumulation of data Conclusion

143 145 148 152 153 154 157 161

7 Compromises and Participation Exit and voice ‘Einheit von Wirtschafts- und Sozialpolitik’ ‘No taboos’ for the cultural elite The Prenzlauer Berg concept The lure of the establishment The privilege of the outsider Co-existence Conclusion 8 Conclusion – Stability and the Image of Doom The preconditions of stability and change: a summary Collapse of the dictatorship

163 163 167 172 174 177 178 182 184 186 186 192

Notes

196

Appendix Tables 1 and 2, ‘Support for the GDR’ (1969–89) Tables 3 and 4, ‘Marxism–Leninism’ Tables 5 and 6, ‘Socialism world wide’

231 231 232 233

Bibliography and Sources

234

Index

268

Preface In this book, the political positions and social situations of four social groups have been analysed to highlight two main characteristics of the socialist society in the GDR: complexity and mutual compromise. Without forgetting the political restriction and repression that were a defining part of this society, this book observes the stability of the regime until it dissolved quickly from 1987 onwards. Structures, attitudes, relationships, and tensions within the East German society are examined and used to analyse wider political and social tendencies. Main issues within this context are the political divide between Erich Honecker and Walter Ulbricht, the inability of the centralised state to control an increasingly complex society, the continued social divisions based on privileges, and the lines of communication that maintained the exchange between state and society and thereby stability. In turn, those issues touch upon themes that have been under-researched to date. The position of Christian writers and Christian women comes to mind in particular but the change in their mental attitude and the political relevance of literature also receive attention. Furthermore, the role of specific mass organisations and institutions are analysed to define the political system more clearly; not only its limitations but also to highlight the opportunities the centralised structures provided for the population.

x

Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to those, who have supported my work over the years. The research was funded partly by the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, the Graduate School, and the German Department of University College, London. Thanks goes to the archivists of the Stiftung Archiv der Parteien und Massenorganisationen der DDR im Bundesarchiv, the Deutsche Institut für Jugendforschung, Aussenstelle Leipzig, and the Evangelische Zentralarchiv Berlin. I would like to acknowledge the kind assistance of the librarians of SAPMO and the Stiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED – Diktatur. I wish to thank in particular Karin Aleksander, librarian of the Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Frauenforschung at the Humboldt University Berlin for her sensibility and level-headedness. Frau Müller, Frau Borgwald, and Frau Rosenmüller at the BStU in Berlin worked untiringly to select and provide relevant material. I am grateful to the CUTG for their generous support, which made possible the publication of this book. I am very happy to be able to express my gratitude to Mary Fulbrook, who has advised and supported me over many years. Mark Hewitson, Judith Beniston, Sue Jones, and all other staff at the German Department of University College, London deserve special thanks for their help and encouragement throughout the years. I would also like to thank Jonathan Steinberg, Marion Kant, and Phil Gardner for their continuous support, patience, and good humour. The greatest emotional debts lie with my parents, to whom I dedicate this book, and my friends, of whom I wish to mention in particular Marco F. Frei, Franziska Dworeck, Nicole Strassenburg, and Merrylin Thomas. I am also grateful to Helga and Dieter von der Nahmer for their enthusiasm at the very early stages of my academic career. The very best thanks of all go to Perry Hunt, who has accompanied me through the many ups and downs of life. His presence, intelligence, and warmth gave me the confidence to write this book.

xi

Glossary Abteilung Frauen Abteilung Jugend Abteilung Kirchenfragen Abteilung Kultur Abteilung Volksbildung AdK APW

AdW

AJA

Akademie der Künste Akademie der Pädagogischen Wissenschaften Akademie der Wissenschaften Amt für Jugendfragen Arbeitsgruppe Frauen Arbeitsgruppe Junger Autoren Arbeitsgruppe Kirchenfragen Baueinheiten/ Bausoldaten Berliner Begegnung

Bitterfelder Weg BRD/FRG CDU DFD DDR/GDR DIJ

Bundesrepublik Deutschland Christlich–Demokratische Union Demokratischer Frauenbund Deutschlands Deutsche Demokratische Republik Deutsches Jugendinstitut xii

Department for women Department for youth Department for Church issues Department for culture Department for mass education Academy of Arts Academy of Pedagogic Sciences Academy of Sciences Youth office Working group women Working group for young authors Working group for Church issues Special units within the NVA for conscientious objectors Writers from both Germanys discussing peace issues Literary policy in the 1950s/60s Federal Republic of Germany Christian Democratic Party Democratic Union of Women German Democratic Republic German Youth Institute

Glossary xiii

EOS

Durchherrschte Gesellschaft (Lüdtke) Einheit von Wirtschaftsund Sozialpolitik Entdifferenzierte Gesellschaft (Meuschel) Erweiterte Oberschule FDJ–Aufgebot

Frauenausschuß Frauenförderungsplan

Frauenkommission FDJ FDGB

DSF

HV Verlage und Buchhandel

Freie Deutsche Jugend Freier Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund Fürsorgediktatur (Jarausch) Gesellschaft der Deutsch–Sowjetischen Freundschaft Hauptverwaltung Verlage und Buchhandel Institut für Meinungsforschung Jugendausschüsse Jugendbrigade Jugendkommission Jugendweihe

Kirchenkampf Kulturbund

Society that is ruled throughout Union of economic and social policy De-differentiated society Preparatory school for university Projects of the FDJ in celebration of various GDR anniversaries Representative body in factories Programme to further women’s professional education Commission for female workers Free German Youth Trades Union Welfare dictatorship Society for German– Soviet Friendship Main administrative body for publishers and book sellers Opinion research institute Youth committee Youth brigade Commission for youth issues State ceremony similar to confirmation in Church Struggle between the Churches and the state Cultural Union

xiv Glossary

KGB MFH

MfK MfS MfV

NVA PDS

Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopastnosti Ministerium für Fach- und Hochschulbildung Ministerium für Kultur Ministerium für Sicherheit Ministerium für Volksbildung Ministerrat Nationale Volksarmee Nischengesellschaft (Gaus) Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus Pfarrerbund Pfingsttreffen

POS

Polytechnische Oberschule

SV SED

Schriftstellerverband Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands Staatsrat Staatssekretär für Kirchenfragen Trabant

ZIJ ZK SED

Zentralinstitut für Jugendforschung Zentralkomitee der SED

ZR FDJ

Zentralrat der FDJ

ZZF

Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung in Potsdam Zentrum Junger Autoren

Soviet security and intelligence service Ministry for Higher Education Ministry for Culture Ministry for Security Ministry for Mass Education Council of Ministers National Armed Forces Niche society Party of Democratic Socialism – successor party to the SED Association of pastors Annual meeting of young people Polytechnic High School Writers’ Union Communist Party of the GDR Council of State State secretary for Church issues Car manufactured in the GDR Central Institute for Youth Research Central Committee of the SED Central Council of the FDJ Centre for research on contemporary history in Potsdam Centre for young writers

Glossary xv

MfS vocabulary AIG AKG HA IM PID ZAIG

Auswertungs- und Informationsgruppe Auswertungs- und Kontrollgruppe Hauptabteilung Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter Politisch–idelogische Diversion Zentrale Auswertungs- und Informationsgruppe

Group for Analysis and Information Group for Analysis and Control Main Department Unofficial Employee Political and ideological diversion Central Group for Analysis and Information

Church vocabulary Berliner Bischofskonferenz

Bluesmessen

BEK EKD ESG EVA FAK Mann und Frau

Bund Evangelischer Kirchen in der DDR Evangelische Kirche Deutschlands Evangelische Studentengemeinde Evangelische Verlagsanstalt Facharbeitskreis Zusammenarbeit Mann und Frau in Kirche, Familie und Gesellschaft Frauenarbeit

Frauenhilfe

Executive body of the Catholic Church in the GDR Mass celebration specifically designed for young people Union of Protestant Churches in the GDR Protestant Church of Germany Student group within a Protestant parish Publishing House of the Protestant Churches Working group promoting cooperation between women and men Organisation working on women’s position within the Churches Organisation giving support to women in the Protestant Churches

xvi Glossary

Jugendpfarrer Junge Gemeinde KKL

Konferenz der Evangelischen Kirchenleitungen in der DDR Offene Jugendarbeit Pfarrfrauenarbeit

WCC

Studentenpfarrer Weltkirchenrat

Vicars for groups of young Christians Groups of young members of a congregation Conference of the governing bodies of the Protestant Churches Youth programme of the Protestant Churches Organisation working on position of and with pastors’ wives Vicars for student groups World Church Council