East Germany

Information on political persecution in the GDR (1949 to 1990)

Wolf Biermann performing with his guitar as a singer-songwriter and outspoken critic of the East German regime.

Wolf Biermann – Singer-Songwriter, Dissident, and Victim of Political Persecution in East Germany

East Germany

Wolf Biermann (born 15 November 1936 in Hamburg) is one of the most prominent critics of the German Democratic Republic…

Stasi Akten einsehen: Archivaufnahme von DDR-Stasi-Unterlagen mit Akten, Karteikarten und Dokumenten zur Recherche politischer Verfolgung in der DDR

Tracing GDR Injustice: How to Research Stasi Records

East Germany

Uncovering the past of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) is a significant and often emotional step for those affected and…

Ein Verfolgter des DDR-Regimes sinniert über seiner Stasi-Akte

The Invisible Wounds: Political Persecution in the GDR and its Psychosocial Impact

East Germany

Political persecution in the GDR was not a marginal phenomenon, but a central pillar of power maintenance for the SED…

Stasi-Überwachungsraum mit Tonbandgerät und Akten aus der DDR – Symbolbild zur Filmrezension „Das Leben der Anderen“

Movie Review: The Lives of Others – Between System Loyalty and Humanity

Reviews, East Germany

With his debut feature “The Lives of Others” (2006), Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck did more than just create a gripping…

Wappen der DDR an Häuserwand

Political Persecution in East Germany: The Machinery of SED Oppression

East Germany

The German Democratic Republic (GDR), while presenting itself as a progressive socialist state, maintained power through an extensive system of…