Gabriela Steinke (Wolverhampton) p.66-84
2002 Issue 2
Abstract
The analysis of a small selection of children’s books by authors from East and West Germany (published between 1991 and 1999) reveals major differences in attitude towards the events of 1989 and their impact on the lives of Germans. While none of the authors deny that the Wende was inevitable, their respective stances with regard to the process of unification and the narrative present and future of a unified Germany differ considerably. The West German authors adopt the position of the historical victor and do not contemplate a future in which any part of the former GDR culture or society could be preserved or developed. In their books we hear the voice of the coloniser – Western ways, despite their flaws, are bound to triumph over the inherently inferior culture of the East. The East German authors grapple with a greater difficulty in that on the one hand they cannot defend the political system of the former GDR, but on the other hand they are not prepared to condemn every aspect of GDR culture and especially GDR people. Their characters will not blindly follow the dictates of the West yet cannot rely on past experiences for guidance; they face a challenging future.