The Official Concept of the Nation in the Former GDR

Download or read book The Official Concept of the Nation in the Former GDR written by Joanna McKay and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-01-04 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1998, this volume joined the effort to understand the former German Democratic Republic, with the aim of reaching a better understanding of the psychologically painful process of German reunification following the collapse of East-German communism in 1989. While born illegitimate and artificial, the country determined the lives of millions of people, despite having now disappeared from the map. This study from Joanna McKay incorporates previously unavailable archive material and focuses on some of the most challenging, ever-present tasks for the GDR leaders. In particular, she examines how they approached explaining the division with West Germany without undermining the legitimacy of the GDR.