The enduring legacy of GDR literature and culture: an introduction

Since the tumultuous events of 1989/1990, writers, film-makers and academics have responded to, reconstructed and reflected upon the process and impact of German reunification. Each milestone anniversary has generated a wave of new publications, thereby demonstrating an ongoing fascination with, and evolving interpretations of, the literary and cultural legacies of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) within a united Germany. In the years which have elapsed since the fall of the Berlin Wall, certain broad narratives of events have been established within general discourse, while access to unpublished materials and personal accounts has increasingly allowed a rich cultural landscape to be explored, both on its own terms and as an important foundation to our deeper understanding of contemporary German society. As early as 1990, Günder de Bruyn had warned against making the type of sweeping statements which risk downplaying the extent of different experiences and thought processes; instead, he pleaded for a nuanced engagement with difference, for open discussion and space for contradictory reactions and emotions. Such calls have all too often been disregarded. Bringing together academic articles and interviews from a wide range of backgrounds and voices, this volume, therefore, seeks to enrich current literary and cultural debates in multiple ways: the different contributions enhance our understanding of artistic responses in different genres, inform our reading and re-reading of literary reconstructions of pre- and post-"Wende" events, and combine in-depth reflection on literary expressions and nuanced critique of, and engagement with, past and present cultural and societal developments. In so doing, the volume demonstrates the diverse ways in which GDR literary and cultural traditions continue to enrich German literature and culture.