Member of the Liberal Democratic Party

You are a 55-year-old Protestant pastor from Leipzig. Since the mid-80s, you have been an active member of the movements for human rights and peace that existed and flourished under the protection of the church. In these groups, you worked very hard for social change that would bring about more personal freedom, a discontinuation of the insane international arms race, and an end to the destruction of the natural environment by industrial polluters.

Your brother was incarcerated in 1965 for an adolescent prank which included the public singing of anti-government protest songs and the spray-painting of an official memorial. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and returned from prison with his spirit broken. He never found his place in society again and committed suicide in 1978 at the age of 32. He was unable to find guidance and solace in his religious faith.

In contrast, your religious faith and the community of people dedicated to change sustained you through the hardships you endured. As a pastor, you tried to care for the spiritual well-being of your parishioners, who suffered under the artistic, intellectual and political repression. You yourself were closely watched by the Stasi, who regularly tried to disrupt your Sunday sermons. You are wondering how much information the Stasi has collected on you and the activities of your church.

As for unification, your thoughts are mixed. You are very glad to see the old system abolished, but you feel that East Germans were not given a real opportunity to decide which form of government they wanted. People like yourself who had worked for years to change the system, people who had suffered severe repercussions for this effort under the GDR system, were virtually pushed aside in the rush for unification (see: Wage and Price Policy in East Germany).

It is your role to remind people of the sacrifices made to bring about this "bloodless revolution." To be swallowed up by West Germany was not the aim of years and years of struggle for reform and freedom from an oppressive system. Remind people of the truth about the former regime, but also be the voice for self-determination.

*Additional off-site links -

Stasi

• Effects of Stasi
• Stasi Personal Account
• The East German Secret Police (Stasi)
• More on the Stasi
• Biography of Erich Mielke, long-time Head of the Stasi
• Access to Stasi Files 1
• Access to Stasi Files 2

Reform

• Rise and Fall of the East German Civil Rights Movement
• Opposition in the GDR

*All off-site links will be displayed in new pages