Social Transformation In Germany
Since World War II, Germany has not always signified one stable and unified state. Instead, it has undergone great political and social transformations at different times in its recent history. From my study of Das Leben der Anderen (directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) and Goodbye Lenin (directed by Wolfgang Becker), one can say with certainty that this is both a true and accurate statement. In this essay I will discuss the social and political transformations which Germany has experienced and comment on how the above films depict German society at different points in time since World War II.
In order for me to fully discuss these ideas, I will first define both social transformation and political transformation. Social transformation
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The citizens of the West were required to register the amounts of Reichsmark (RM) in their possession and convert them into the new currency, Deutschmark (DM). The introduction of the DM had a negative effect on Eastern Germany, being labelled as “draconian” by the Soviet Government (Craig 1991, pp.122). A few days later the Soviets introduced their own new currency to combat the negative impacts of the DM (Taylor 2013). In 1963, Carl Amery stated that the “currency reform established overnight the new society, the society of capitalism.” (Craig 1991, pp. …show more content…
It revolves around personal-political dilemmas faced by three individuals. Georg Dreyman is a gifted and celebrated playwright, and apparent DDR patriot. His partner, Christa-Maria Sieland, is a talented and ambitious actress, and also a drug addict. Her beauty captures the attention of the greedy Minister for Culture, Bruno Hempf, who covets Dreyman 's girlfriend. Hempf orders Captain Gerd Wiesler to survey the couple, hoping to eliminate Dreyman as competition. What follows is an engaging and compelling story of morality and display of typical German stereotypes.
Similarly, Goodbye Lenin is set in the DDR, in the year 1989, a few months before the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the DDR.
The Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit) was the secret police and the official investigation institution of the DDR. It was founded by the SED on February 8, 1950 in order to protect and enforce the interests of the party. Soon enough, the Stasi became known as the Schild und Schwert der Partei (Shield and Sword of the Party) of the SED.
Since WWII, Germany has indeed endured many social and political changes; from the division of Berlin and Germany into 4 zones on May 8, 1945 to the formation of the BRD and the DDR in 1949 to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and 1989
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