Heimat, “Ostalgie” and the Stasi: The GDR in German cinema, 1999-2006

Abstract

German cinema is experiencing something of a renaissance, with an assortment of remarkable films having appeared in recent years. Some, such as Gegen die Wand (‘Against the Wall’), focus on the experience of immigrants. Others are set in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Of the latter, Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) and Good Bye Lenin! are the best known, both domestically and abroad, although Sonnenallee also received a mass audience in Germany. This article reviews Das Leben der Anderen and asks why it is so often presented as a fearlessly critical response to Good Bye Lenin! It explores the claim that Good Bye Lenin! and Sonnenallee are exemplars of ‘Ostalgie’ (nostalgia for the former GDR), before presenting a critical analysis of that phenomenon itself.