The GDR Representation in German classes. An Analysis of Regional Studies Textbooks

บทคัดย่อ

About thirty years after the "fall of the Berlin Wall" and German reunification, GDR history has become a significant part of the German culture of remembrance. In the subject of German as a Foreign Language (GFL), the GDR is also a part of regional studies and is included in most textbooks. The aim of this study is to analyze the representation of the GDR in GFL textbooks. In particular, it is examined to what extent the textbooks deal with aspects such as dictatorship, everyday life, ostalgia and the social problems after the reunification, and how these topics are presented and weighted. Eight common and often used regional studies textbooks were selected for the research corpus. The results show that the textbooks differ remarkably from one another in their presentation of the GDR. They concentrate on various focal points and have chosen different approaches. In addition, a focus on dictatorship could be determined. Furthermore, aspects of everyday life and the economic and social problems after reunification are described in some books as well. The phenomenon of ostalgia, on the other hand, is only discussed in a few textbooks.