Category Archives: History

35 Jahre schon …

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… und nur noch 5 Jahre, bis Mauerfall und Existenz der DDR gleiche Zeiträume umspannen. Die “Neuen Länder” werden wohl immer noch “Neu” sein, exotisch.

Etwa jetzt, vor 35 Jahren – Donnerstag, 9. November 1989:

Bin spät von der Schule nach Hause gekommen. Bis halb acht haben wir uns (so ne Gruppe üblicher Verdächtiger) die kurz zuvor veröffentlichten “Schwierigkeiten mit der Wahrheit”, eine autobiographische Doku über den Prozess gegen Walter Janka, reingezogen (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Janka). Janka war Dramaturg, wichtiger Kopf bei der DEFA, hat die “Mephisto”-Verfilmung mit angeleiert … spannend.

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In einem Land vor unserer Zeit

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Aus einer medizinhistorischen Diss von 1918 – der Lebenslauf des Verfassers: von 1910 bis 1918 Abi, Wehrdienst, Studium, Krieg incl. Verwundung, die Diss und deren Publikation. Nur mal so. Wer vergleicht, ist selber schuld. Vielleicht hänge ich’s an meine Bürotür, für Studis die klagen, wie schwer sie’s hätten.

1910 Ostern – Abi
1. Apr – 30. Sep Wehrdienst, sowie Immatrikulation Medizinstudium
1912, 2. Aug – ärztliche Vorprüfung
WS Studium in München, dann Leipzig bis 1914
1914 Soldat im Krieg
1916 Sommer Beurlaubung f. Studium
8. Sep ärztl. Staatsprüfung, Rückkehr ins “Feld”
1918, 28. Apr – Verwundung in Flandern
bis Ende Juni in Behandlung
19. Aug Druckgenehmigung für Diss erteilt
(also offenbar abgegeben, verteidigt, bestanden)

Auf dem Titelblatt steht dann: Curt Matthaes, Assistenzarzt d[er] R[eserve] aus Leipzig.

paläon – research museum

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On my way to Magdeburg I used to pass by the signpost many times. Now it was about time to pay a visit to the paläon research museum in Schöningen (near Braunschweig). When you’re in the region, go. It’s worth it! Here are just some pictures.

First generation: “Zivildienst” in East Germany

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Thirty years ago, I was one of those who for the first time in East German history were allowed to do Zivildienst, an alternative service instead of the compulsory military service. I received the letter around 15 March 1990, three days ahead of the national elections that were my first (I had turned 18 in January) – and due to to the victory of the CDU were known to be the last of an independent East Germany. Months later, in the night of 23 August 1990, the East German parliament decided to join the jurisdiction and political structure etc. of West Germany. They submitted (sic!) their decision to the West Germans after monetary union had already become effective by the end of June, and a decision for re-unification had been agreed on between the governments. At midnight 3 October 1990, East Germany a.k.a. GDR seized being an independent political unit, and until then we were her first and last Zivildientleistenden.

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9 November ’89 – the Fall of the Berlin Wall, and I’m tired

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October and kingdoms rise
And kingdoms fall
But you go on
And on.
(U2 – October, 1982)

I have two beginnings for this blog post. I’m not sure I have a suitable ending.

Opening one: I’m just back from a discussion, with Naika Foroutan, about East-German migration analogies and prejudices against East-Germans, here at the local Literarisches Zentrum. “Here” means: Göttingen, West-Germany, for me, an East German by origin, my home of seven years now. Diaspora as well as home. “Here” also means: amongst an audience of, primarily, West-Germans. Naika Foroutan and host Robert Pausch are West Germans, too. They (“they”) speak about East Germans (“us”). Some of “us” are in the room. Their safeguard is the “objectivity” of the (social) sciences. “Objectivity” implies an object. An object implies a subject. Who’s who? I can feel I am one of the objects here, regardless whether I want to or not, and someone else assumes the role of the subject-agent. I observe.

on the other side (west) in 1989
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Malawi 9/2019

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This is my second trip to Malawi this year. I arrive in a time of political unrest following the elections in May. Leaders of the opposition parties have alleged that there were massive irregularities and that Mutharika is the “tipp-ex president”. Lilongwe, Blantyre and other places have been the scenes of massive demonstrations which sometimes turned violent, including lootings and mob violence, and as of late the police and army forces are using live ammunition. Driving through town wasn’t always easy therefore, since you better avoid the demonstrations as the protestors do not always clearly discriminate between who to attack. Or would the police? Anyway, we stayed clear of them as best as we could.

I’m nervous whenever I cross this wooden bridge between Nkhotakota and Salima (source here).
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9 October 1989

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30 years ago today, the “Wende”, the peaceful revolution in East Germany, truly started. After the brutal crack down of police on protesters and bystanders alike in Magdeburg two days earlier, everyone knew that something would happen. October 9 was a Monday, and hence I was at school (EOS Humbodt) in the morning hours. Directors and staff leaders in pretty much every institution and company approached their staff or students or even children at kindergarten, threatening that if they went out into the streets tonight their (or their parents’!) safety could not be guaranteed.

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DDR 40 – 7 October 1989

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… 30 Years Revolution, part II

30 years ago today, the German Democratic Republic was meant to celebrate her 40th anniversary. There was little to celebrate, though. Thousands had fled the country in previous months, and illegal demonstrations happened in every major town, notably on Mondays. This though was a Saturday afternoon, and Sandow were playing in Magdeburg, by the banks of the river Elbe. Heavy rains delayed the soundcheck, and in the meantime lots of police trucks had pulled up and the police surrounded. Men that were much too old for punk music in groups of two or three infiltrated the crowd.

Concert with Sandow
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Prerow’s Last Legion

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August 1989, and we were the “last legion” to be trained in one of East Germany’s paramilitary camps – one of the things that had become part and parcel of growing up in East Germany. Now we were there for a last time, though we didn’t know that yet.

Source
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