The media heritage of the GDR

Bildinfo

BMBF joint project
ZZF, LMU München and FU Berlin
Project leader at ZZF: Prof. Dr. Frank Bösch, Dr. Jürgen Danyel, Christoph Classen
The project investigates the emergence, transformation and use of GDR-related media. Mass media and private media as well as their usage environments are analysed. In addition to the research projects, the network is developing a handbook on GDR film, a new website with oral history interviews and a portal on GDR narrow film.

In the 2nd project phase 2023-25, the ZZF is working on projects by Isabel Enzenbach/Anja Tack, Tom Koltermann, Nikolai Okunew and Lea Freese-Renner.

Read more obout the BMBF joint project.

Projekte

Isabel Enzenbach, Anja Tack

Photographs of the Long Wende, 1985-1995

Research project

Fotografien der langen Wende focusses on images of the East German transformation process. The research and exhibition project examines the upheaval of 1989/90 in the context of the late GDR and the early 1990s.

Nikolai Okunew

Volkstümliche Schlager in Ostdeutschland: Erbe – Identität – Quote

Forschungsprojekt
Seit den späten 1980er Jahren ist Volksmusik im Osten Deutschland ein Massenphänomen. Im Projekt wird erstmals untersucht, inwiefern in den verschiedenen Formaten inhaltliche Traditionen aus der DDR übernommen und transformiert wurden und welche Gründe der Beliebtheit des Massenphänomens zugrunde liegen.

Tom Koltermann

Ein „Leib-und-Magen-Blatt“ für den Osten. Der Aufstieg der SuperIllu

Forschungsprojekt
Das Forschungsvorhaben untersucht die Genese und den Wandel der Zeitschrift sowie deren Funktion im Kontext der sich transformierenden ostdeutschen Gesellschaft. Dabei wird gefragt, in welcher Weise, mit welchen Inhalten und Formaten die Zeitschrift zu einem spezifisch ostdeutschen Sonderbewusstsein beigetragen hat.

Nikolai Okunew

The Transformation of Television and Lifeworld („Lebenswelt“) in East Germany

Research project

Based on a program and user analysis for the period from 1989 to the mid-2000s, the project examines how the so-called "Third Programs" ORB and MDR as well as selected local television stations accompanied the profound social change. This Project is a part of the BMBF joint project "Das mediale Erbe der DDR".

Sandra Starke

Private photo albums in the GDR

Associated PhD project

Private photo albums form an important part of the biographical memory of people from the former GDR. As ego documents and a kind of "retreat into the private sphere", they are contextualized with contemporary events and analyzed for their political content. The associated PhD project is part of the BMBF joint project "Das mediale Erbe der DDR".

Christoph Classen

moving history | 2 - Festival of historical films

Moving history is the first film festival in Germany to specialize in history in film. It sees itself as a forum where audiences, filmmakers and academics can exchange views on cinematic representations of the past.

Lea Frese-Renner

Memory in (digital) transition: The GDR on the Internet since the 1990s

PhD project

The PhD project investigates the interactions and interdependencies of the transition to the WWW in the aftermath of 1989/90. It focuses on the question of how this new online medium and in particular social media determined the development of different forms and narratives of GDR memories.