This essay is based off a source question answering the question how the sources are useful for the DDR creating a new identity using quotes from the sources. This essay was marked by teachers receiving 17/20 marks (Grade A)
How useful are sources B and C into the enquiry of the DDR creating a new
identity?
Source B and C give different methods that the DDR used to create a new identity that was
separate from their rival the FRG, source B explores how they used history and celebrating
achievements where source C explores how sports was used to create a new identity.
However, even though both of these methods had their successes by making citizens feel
like they belong under east German identity, they also have their weaknesses such as the
doping controversy and how media had influences over what people watched.
Source B is from Oliver Fritz who had lived in the DDR from birth in 1967 that is giving his
account on the 2 big demonstrations that were held in the DDR which was international
fighting and celebration and the day of the working people. This source was documented
throughout Fritz’s life detailing the events and celebrations that citizens participated in, in
the DDR which took place “in every town and village up and down the country”. This
suggests that celebrating history and important events was highly valued to the DDR which
must be recognised to strengthen their own identity as communists, some examples of this
include celebrating days of the people, the inauguration of the DDR and celebrating past
communist protest leaders such as Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. Furthermore,
during the demonstrations the citizens were “accompanied by music and chanted slogans
from loud speakers” this empathises the propaganda used to unite people in the way they
think and believe in the same ideas, from my own knowledge a cult of personality and rallies
were used by all Soviet and east German leaders to gain support and loyalty from citizens in
the country. This would unite and enforce demarcation as all east German people are
parading for their own history and propaganda that is being spread to them.
However, source B is limited into the enquiry of creating an east German identity because it
states that the media used demonstrations and labelled them as “powerful illustrations of
the bond between people and the state” this limits the creation of an east German identity
as the media was controlled by the state in which Honecker had daily meetings to approve
what would go in articles or other forms of media so the information presented to the
citizens would be subjective into presenting the bonds in the DDR in a positive way. The
history of Germany is being celebrated in the demonstrations however, citizens were left
confused and uninspired which is clearly depicted when the source states that “most
participants aimed for one thing : saving most of the day by finishing the march as soon as
possible” this shows the citizens to be a part of the demonstrations because they have to
rather than uniting the people to celebrate history which weakens the sense of a separate
identity. This source is useful to an extent for creating an east German identity as people
was encouraged to parade for their own history and people however, this was left unclear
to them, and most people couldn’t wait for the marching to be over.
Source C is from an ex-handball youth group member that is reviewing her time growing up
in the DDR and when sports was heavily empathised, this was because the DDR couldn’t
fight the FRG with military but instead would have to fight them on the playing field which
turned sports into a political battle. This source was written in 2014 which was written to
inform and bring awareness to how the DDR used sports to one up the FRG, sports was very
important to them and key to building their own sense of identity, to achieve this they
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