How are the GDR and the fall of the Berlin Wall remembered? The dissertation “Alles Banane?” deals with this question. It assumes that identity, individual as well as collective, is a social,... Show moreHow are the GDR and the fall of the Berlin Wall remembered? The dissertation “Alles Banane?” deals with this question. It assumes that identity, individual as well as collective, is a social, cultural and political construction based on the memory of the past. This construction is not only pre-shaped by valid cultural conventions but also influenced by images of the past circulating in the community. This dissertation tackles the question how novels and films contribute to the process of shaping collective memory by (re)constructing important places and by disseminating images of historical events in the community. It examines the function of fictional texts as a record of official and alternative memories. To what extend can one speak of conflicting memories in respect to the recent past in Germany? What role do the various social groups play in this context? Is, concerning the memory of the GDR and the fall of the Berlin wall, indeed ‘Alles Banane’? Show less
