National Identity in Divided and Unified Germany

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The book explores the contrasting national identities that emerged in East and West Germany following World War II. It delves into how the GDR's communist regime sought to cultivate a distinct socialist identity, while the FRG developed a successful post-war identity through economic and political growth. The opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and subsequent reunification in 1990 did not erase the deep-seated attitudinal differences between East and West Germans. The study investigates whether these disparities stem from historical experiences or the challenges of unification.