The narrative history of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) has been dominated by two extremely polarised characterisation: one that portrayed the GDR as a Stasi-centred regime where everyday life was heavily monitored by the state; and one that depicted the GDR as a socialist utopia where basic aspects of life such as housing and jobs were provided by a paternalistic state. Through this book, Vaizey sought to draw a view that is more representative of the actual experiences of East Germans and to deepen understanding of why different memories of the GDR exist. Vaizey had successfully formed a framework to understand this momentous phase in German history through the collection of contrasting individual experiences of eight East Germans, complemented by accounts from others to provide a wider context.
The author treats her topic in three parts: in the first one, Vaizey provided an insightful introduction to the different political and historical climates in the two German states created after the Second World War. By providing the backstory of how Germany came to be separated into two states, Vaizey built a solid foundation for the readers to better understand how this separation had shaped the condition and environment in which the individuals whose stories are shared in the second part had lived in the GDR. As there were radical external changes on lives of East Germans who were caught up in the transition from communism to capitalism after the reunification, the author poses the question on whether these changes mirrored the complex long-term legacy of the GDR as Germany’s second dictatorship. Vaizey also inquires into whether they had abandoned the distinctive socialist culture of the GDR through a ’revolution of mind’ or whether they are still living with the Wall standing in their heads (die Mauer im Kopf).
The second part of the book is comprised of the eight stories from individuals from different backgrounds. The first chapter follows the experience of Petra, who had been a socialist since her time as a PhD student in the 1980s, and played a central role in the process of reunification as the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (p. 33). Her encounter with the political arena after reunification exposed the hostility of other politicians towards anything related to the old regime and how they reject that there was anything to be learned from the GDR (p. 35). The second chapter explores the frustration of Carola, who began noticing the contradictions between the socialist values and goals preached by the regime and what was happening in real life during her schooldays (p. 47). As Carola grew older, she had no desire to conform to the expectation of the regime and became increasingly frustrated with the minimal prospect of change within the system (p. 51). This frustration culminated in her escape to West Germany months before the Wall fell in 1989.
In the third chapter, the readers learn about Lisa, who accepted the circumstances both in the communist East Germany and life after the reunification. As an example, Lisa did not find the limited travel for GDR citizens or the few options of available goods restrictive (p. 57). Despite several occasions where Lisa brushed up against the limits of the regime, she felt strongly at home in the GDR and had never thought of leaving. Vaizey highlighted that even though Lisa’s story is less dramatic than other tales of resistance, her experience is typical of many citizens of the former GDR (p. 65). Unlike Lisa, who had been in relatively little contact with the Stasi, the protagonist of the fourth chapter, Mario, felt the wrath of the regime directly during his time in the Hohenschönhausen prison after his failed attempt to escape from the GDR through Yugoslavia via Hungary (p. 71). Mario’s recount of the brutality experienced in the Stasi prison and his life after the reunification provides an insight into the long-term effects of his prosecution at the hands of the Stasi.
The subject of the fifth chapter, Katharina, stuck uncompromisingly to her faith as a Protestant, and hence experienced how it was like to believe in God under constant pressure from the state. Born into a family that opposed the socialist regime that pushed forward for the creation of a secular society, Katharina suffered from discrimination and disadvantages during her childhood (p. 95). After her marriage to Gilbert, a former inmate of the Stasi prison, the couple lived under heavy observation of the Stasi and encountered intrusive Stasi activities in their everyday life (p. 104). In contrast to the confrontational stance adopted by Katharina and her family, in the sixth chapter, the readers learn about the story of Robert who was an ardent supporter of the regime and remains a defender of socialist values to this day. Living in Berlin-Marzahn within a community that supported the regime, Robert did not feel many constraints on his freedom of speech and felt to some degree free despite the travel restrictions and Stasi surveillance (p. 116).
Despite being born into a ‘Red’ (socialist supporter) family, the chief character of the seventh chapter, Mirko, had rejected the party line by his mid-teens after observing an incident that exposed the aggressive side of the police force (p. 133). In his early years, Mirko appeared to be indifferent to the regime, taking part in the Jugendweihe ceremony and being involved in the Free German Youth movement; and only began to view the GDR in a more critical light in his teenage years (p. 135, 137). The final chapter explores the story of Peggy, who is nostalgic of her old life in the GDR before reunification. As she was still a schoolgirl when the Wall fell, Peggy has an overwhelmingly positive memory of her childhood under the socialist regime where work and housing were guaranteed by the state (p. 147, 152). Peggy recounted only one negative memory as she had accepted what she had been taught about West Germany, furthermore, she had little or no contact with people in the West (p. 155).
In the third part of the book, the author skilfully discusses the interpretation of the fall of the GDR socialist regime with reference to the individual stories in the second part. As a conclusion to the book, Vaizey sought to offer a general explanation of why such contrasting memories of life in the GDR exist and to review the individual lives before, during and after reunification to better understand these contrasts. In addition, in this part, Vaizey attempted to explain why some East Germans have negative feelings about reunification despite the fact that the fall of the regime had offered them a greater level of freedom. A range of key factors is mentioned by the author, including the stark ideological difference between the socialist society with an emphasis on a sense of collectiveness and the Western society which is more competitive and individualistic (p. 166). Furthermore, the fact that the public expectation for an immediate gain of Western standard of living was dashed has been a source of displeasure, while the lack of sympathy and consideration amongst West Germans for what their Eastern compatriots were going through roused bitter resentment against united Germany (p. 168).
It could be said that through this brilliant book, Vaizey is successful in providing an apolitical perspective on how the transition from communism to capitalism affected the lives of ordinary people. More than simply retelling the individual stories, Vaizey utilised them to facilitate her larger goal of breaking the stereotypes about how lives were for East Germans in the former GDR. By referring to a range of different experiences, the author’s brilliant and sweeping exploration focuses on the big picture as well as on individuals, which has greatly helped in capturing the complexities of transition from one set of economic and social construct to another in a neutral way without exaggerating or over-emphasising any preset view of the GDR. Vaizey’s ability to draw a masterful conclusion reflects her great skills in comparing and contrasting historical evidences in order to support her line of argument that there is not one particularly correct view of the GDR, and that personal view of the GDR may be shaped differently according to the unique sequence of events encountered by an individual.
Moreover, while this excellent book offers an abundance of information about a significant period in German history, in the hands of a skilled writer like Vaizey, this fascinating history will absolutely not put you to sleep. The remarkably reader-friendly narrative by the author adds another dimension to the book, making for an informative yet captivating reading, a remarkable feat emulated after her equally impressive first book, Surviving Hitler’s War: Family Life in Germany, 1939-48. As a lecturer in modern European history and a fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, Vaizey demonstrates her familiarity with the topic through her combination of well-written recounts of events and meticulous analysis based on the latest historical research to bring a welcome breath of objectivity to a subject that has been dominated by ideologically driven interpretation. In addition, one of the charms of this book is that the individual stories appear in no particular order, making it ideal as a light reading during free time or keeping on a bedside table to pick up before bed. However, this does involve potential difficulties for the readers as Vaizey occasionally made references to a previous chapter in her assessment of a story and this may cause a slight confusion for readers.
All told, Born in the GDR, Living in the Shadow of the Wall delves deeply into the lives of East Germans under the regime with vivid descriptions of what everyday life was like in the GDR and the legacy it has left. While keeping the content of this book accessible to the general readers, Vaizey has also structured the book in a way that is suitable for those who are keen to engage in an intriguing and thought-provoking process of drawing their own conclusion on the topic. Hence, this book is highly recommended not only for those who are studying the history of the former GDR but also for the general reader with an interest to learn more about the regime. An engrossing piece of work that illuminates how experiences either made or broke people, and left a permanent impression on their lives, it is definitely not an exaggeration to say that this book is a masterpiece.