THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: EXAMINING THE REPRESENTATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE NOVEL EINER TRAGE DES ANDEREN LAST WITHIN ITS CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The attitude towards the Protestant Church in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) changed overtime and was not homogenous during the approximately forty years of the GDR’s existence. This thesis will use this established cultural and historical context in order to analyze the representation of Christianity in the novel Einer trage des anderen Last, written by Wolfgang Held. The premise of the novel is two men diagnosed with tuberculosis are forced to share a room in the Sanatorium, however, one is a protestant pastor and the other is a member of the Volkspolizei (the People’s police). Through their distinct ideologies and worldviews, there exists a literary example of the perception of the Church and those associated with Christianity within the socialism of the GDR. Overall, this thesis will contribute to the relatively small existing body of work that explores Christianity, its existence, its perception, and its legacy, in the GDR.