Birgit Müller-Wöbcke Book order

The life-worlds and personal experiences of workers and employees in three enterprises in East Berlin at the moment of political and economic upheaval stand at the centre of the book. It sets out in 1989 at the moment of the fall of the Berlin Wall witnessing the confrontations with the market economy and examining the reinterpretations of the socialist past as the political and economic changes take place. Disenchantment with Market Economics captures a unique moment in history and unveils myths and promises of liberal market economy from the perspective of those who lived through the break down of the planned economy at their workplaces in East Berlin. While Western managers regarded the expansion of their businesses towards Eastern Europe as a civilising mission, the East German employees reacted with complex strategies of individual adaptation and resistance.

Focusing on the experiences of workers in three East Berlin enterprises during the transformative period of 1989, the narrative captures their struggles and adaptations amidst the fall of the Berlin Wall. It delves into the challenges posed by the shift to a market economy and explores how individuals reinterpret their socialist past in light of rapid political and economic changes, highlighting the intersection of personal and collective histories during a pivotal moment in history.

Beeindruckende Aufnahmen eines der größten Häfen der Welt, verbunden mit liebevoll erzählten Geschichten über die Menschen hinter der Hafenkulisse, machen diesen Bildband nicht nur für Hamburg-Liebhaber und Hafenfreaks zu einem besonderen Erlebnis.

Using case studies of relatively successful co-operative enterprises in West Berlin, this book explores the confrontation of a collectivist, ideologically motivated philosophy with the constraints of survival in the heart of the competitive, capitalist market.