You are not born an East German, you become one

Both Schönian and Mädler come from East Germany. However, it was only as adults that they began to engage intensively with their origins. For a long time, the categories of East and West seemed outdated to them – and yet they continue to shape their own identities.

It is not only their self-image that differs; the living conditions of East and West Germans also remain unequal to this day. East Germans often lag behind West Germans in terms of income, wealth distribution, and career opportunities. Moreover, East Germans continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions, for example in science, politics, and business. West German experiences are still often presented as the norm in media and public discourse, while East German perspectives are treated as deviations. Against this social backdrop, being from East Germany can still be perceived as a disadvantage.

In a joint conversation, Valerie Schönian and Peggy Mädler explore these issues further. In her non-fiction book Ostbewusstsein (East Awareness), journalist Valerie Schönian examines East German identity through conversations with sociologists, politicians, and authors across East German cities.
Some of the central questions include:

• Who has the right to define what is (East) German today?
• Why are East German voices and perspectives still missing in so many areas of society?
• What does this mean for belonging, participation, and democracy?
• And how united is Germany 35 years after reunification?

Peggy Mädler approaches the topic from a literary perspective. In her novels, she explores East German history, memory, and the life stories of women – both during the GDR era and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The conversation will be moderated by Christiane Lahusen, publisher and researcher of GDR history.

Venue: Goethe-Institut Sweden, Bryggargatan 12A
111 21 Stockholm 
Language: German with simultaneous translation into Swedish
Admission: Free of charge
Registration: Please register via Eventbrite

After the talk, all guests are invited to join us in the library to round off the evening together.

This event is organised in cooperation with the University of Stockholm – Department of German Studies,Goethe-Institut Schweden and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Nordic Countries.