Honecker's Children: Youth and Patriotism in Eastern Germany, 1979-2002

During the final decade of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), young citizens found themselves at the heart of a rigorous program of socialist patriotic education, yet following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the emphasis of official state rhetoric, textbooks and youth activities changed beyond recognition. For the young generation growing up during this period, "normality" was turned on its head, leaving a sense of insecurity and inner turmoil. Using a combination of archival research and interviews, together with educational materials and government reports, this book examines the relationship between young people and their two successive states in East(ern) Germany between 1979 and 2002