Chapter 13Commonalities and differences FRG vs GDR: Democracy

Both, East and West Germany, called themselves “democratic,” but how did each state define democracy and how democratic were they in reality? Although other parties existed in the GDR, the SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei) ruled as one party dictatorship. The FRG had a multi-party system in which a party needed at least 5% of the vote to enter parliament. At present, seven parties are represented in the German Bundestag. A political landscape comprised of many parties allows for a diverse articulation of voices, but at which point do they become a hindrance to decision taking? Is democracy only a question of parties? How much democracy do we need?

Videos and worksheet

1. THE AFTERMATH OF WEIMAR POLITICS
After WWII, both Germanys thought that too many parties were a danger to democracy. How did this influence their politics? 

2. DEPARTURE INTO UTOPIA?
One party?Antifascist state after WWII? What did it mean for East Germany that there were no notable changes to its political landscape? 

3. DID THE GDR HAVE OPPOSITIONAL MOVEMENTS?
The history of the 1953 crushed worker's uprising by the Soviet troops is well known, but did the GDR have other oppositional movements? 

4. WEST GERMAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS DEMOCRACY
Were people critical of democracy in West Germany? 

5. DEMOCRACY ACCORDING TO EAST- AND WEST GERMANY
Explore the vastly different ideas both states had when it came to “democracy.”

6. TWO DEMOCRACIES?
Both, West and East Germany called themselves “democratic,” but how democratic were they in reality? 

7. WHAT DO HISTORIANS TODAY THINK ABOUT....
...how West- and East Germany approached democracy and how they both organized the relationship between the state, the law and the people during the Cold War? 

8. DEMOCRACY IN THE 20TH CENTURY
How did the relationship between the state and people change with the advent of democracy? Why did democracy become such an important idea? 

9. DEMOCRACY: HOW MUCH?
What do we need democracy for? Is Capitalism by the way of the free market intrinsically tied to the idea of democracy? What about human rights and the idea of personal liberty?

10. HOW MANY PARTIES....
....can a democracy handle? Is it possible to have too many parties? When do too many parties lead to dysfunctional politics? 

11. THE COLORS OF THE SPECTACLE
Red, gold, black, flags, pins: Political symbols were everywhere in GDR's public space. Explore a vast array of symbols of political life. Footage recorded by East German citizens.

12. IDEALISM OR OPPORTUNISM?
East German citizens joined the party out of idealism or opportunism or a bit of both, as the story of Herr Lauterbach illustrates. Video footage from Open Memory Box, an archive that showcases 415 hours of home movies shot by East German citizens. In this video, Herr Lauterbach looks back at his daily life in the GDR and narrates the story of his family through footage that he shot throughout the years. In German with English subtitles. 

13. DEMOCRACY=POLITICAL PARTIES?
Is Democracy only a question of political parties? 

14. THE BERLIN REPUBLIC: PRESENT-DAY GERMAN POLITICS
The German political landscape changed tremendously afte Reunification. What did it mean for democracy? 

15. UNIFORMITY OF LIFE STYLES
In its common political sense, democracy and single-party hegemony are hardly compatible, but democracy also, for example in Tocqueville’s classic definition, refers to uniformity of lifestyles, of which there was plenty in the GDR.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES
More than just an Oxymoron? Democracy in the German Democratic Republic