We were the people : voices from East Germany's revolutionary autumn of 1989 / Dirk Philipsen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Philipsen, Dirk, 1959-

Series:

e-Duke books scholarly collection.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Revolutions--Germany (East)--History.

Revolutions.

Germany (East)--Politics and government--1989-1990.

Germany (East).

Germany--History--Unification, 1990.

Germany.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (434 p.)

Place of Publication:

Durham : Duke University Press, 1993.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

On the night of November 9, 1989, an electrified world watched as the Berlin Wall came down. Communism was dead, the Cold War was over, and freedom was on the rise-or so it seemed. We Were the People tells the story behind this momentous event. In an extraordinary series of interviews, the key actors in the drama that transformed East Germany speak for themselves, describing what they did, what happened and why, and what it has meant to them. The result is a powerful firsthand account of a rare historical moment, one that reverberates far beyond the toppled wall that once divided Germany and

Contents:

PART 1: A Long Time Coming: Roots of Dissent and Opposition in the German Democratic Republic, The Troubled Emergence of an Idea. Frank Eigenfeld, New Forum, and Harald Wagner, Democracy Now. Rainer Eppelmann, Protestant pastor, prominent oppositionist. Cornelia Matzke, Independent Womens Alliance. Ludwig Mehlhorn, Opposition theorist. Hans Modrow, Last communist prime minister. The Party, the Workers, and Opposition Intellectuals. Werner Bramke, Party academic. East German Workers, Joint interview. Barbel Bohley, ''Mother of the revolution." The Many Meanings of "Reform." Klaus Kaden, Church emissary to the opposition. Sebastian Pflugbeil, Democratic strategist. Gerhard Ruden, Environmental activist. Andre Brie, Party vice-chairman. Ingrid Koppe, Opposition representative at the Central Round Table.

PART 2: Democracy-Now or Never. Struggles with Self-Censorship: Deciding How Much to Seek. Ludwig Mehlhorn. Klaus Kaden. Frank Eigenfeld. Harald Wagner. Rainer Eppelmann. Cornelia Matzke. The Constraints of a Party-Centered Perspective. Hans Modrow. Werner Bramke. Andre Brie. Workers in the "Workers' State." East German Workers, Joint interview. Wolfgang K, Newly elected union secretary, Democratic Visions: A Question of Scope, A Question of Possibility. Barbel Bohley. Sebastian Pflugbeil. Ingrid Koppe

PART 3: Taking Stock: The Search for a Historical Perspective. Between Opportunity and Failure. Sebastian Pflugbeil. Klaus Kaden. Frank Eigenfeld, Harald Wagner. Barbel Bohley. Hans Modrow. Werner Bramke. Andre Brie. Ludwig Mehlhorn. Wolfgang K.

Epilogue: Chronology of East German History, 1945-1990.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [402-409]) and index.

ISBN:

9786612904226

9781282904224

1282904221

9780822381754

0822381753

OCLC:

850214948