Remembering the German Democratic Republic: Problems and Trends in Foreign Memory Studies

The article examines the themes and developments in foreign memory studies, focusing on the ways the German Democratic Republic was remembered and reinterpreted in German society following Germany’s unification in 1990. The emphasis is on monographs and collections of articles published in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States since 2009. The scientists note the competition of narratives in memories of the dictatorship, everyday life, and development of the GDR. The competing narratives either focus on the repressions of the East German regime or are characterized by Ostalgia of former citizens of the GDR. Foreign researchers show the dynamism of the process of memorialization and the importance of civil society’s interaction with the subjects of historical politics in commemoration. The article concludes that the interdisciplinary approach used in memory studies can be applied in GDR’s history studies.