An examination of the works of authors who expressed discontent with the Communist regime of East Germany. While other writers celebrated socialism and collaborated with the regime, this seminar considers those who found paths to criticize it. Such criticism could lead to imprisonment or expulsion, but this was not always the case. Examining the literature that developed in the context of the East German dictatorship. we will analyze competing strategies: explicit protest, irony, humor and escapism. We will also consider the consequences for the authors, such as Heinz Czechowski, Jurgen Fuchs, Uwe Gressmann, Inge Muller, and others.
3-5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
An examination of the works of authors who expressed discontent with the Communist regime of East Germany. While other writers celebrated socialism and collaborated with the regime, this seminar considers those who found paths to criticize it. Such criticism could lead to imprisonment or expulsion, but this was not always the case. Examining the literature that developed in the context of the East German dictatorship. we will analyze competing strategies: explicit protest, irony, humor and escapism. We will also consider the consequences for the authors, such as Heinz Czechowski, Jurgen Fuchs, Uwe Gressmann, Inge Muller, and others.
Offered in Autumn 2025 at Stanford University.