35 years of German unity: Verden remembers the eventful history of women!

35 years of German unity: Verden remembers the eventful history of women!

To mark the 35th anniversary of German reunification, an exciting series of events is being launched at the Democracy Learning Center in Verden. The entire range of German-German history is in focus, with a clear goal: to bring citizens closer to the various facets of participation and democratic conditions and to shed light on the connections between the GDR and northwest Germany. Again Weser courier reports, this series is funded by the Federal Foundation for Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship and takes place in the city's premises at Norderstädtischer Markt, in the Syndikatshof.

The start of the event series is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Verden Cathedral House. The topic “Marlise Steinert – A Gulag survivor in Verden” is discussed here. Marlise Steinert, who was released from the Gulag in 1945 and worked as an interpreter for Soviet counterintelligence, is introduced in a lecture by the historian Olga Danilenko, while Lore Siebert reports on her memories of her mother. Entry costs just 5 euros.

Diverse program items for all generations

Another highlight will be the panel discussion on Wednesday, October 1st, at 6 p.m. in the council chamber of the Verden town hall. In this discussion entitled "We've already come a long way?! Perspectives of women in East and West on developments since reunification" central topics such as child care, employment and abortion rights are examined. Free entry is highly recommended.

On Wednesday, October 8th, we continue with contemporary witness interviews with Thomas Raufeisen, who was arrested in the GDR because of his political beliefs and was imprisoned for three years. These discussions take place in the Gymnasium am Wall and registration is required. On the same evening at 8 p.m., the municipal cinema (Koki) in Cine City will be showing the film “The Indomitable 2 – Good Morning, You Beautiful Ones!” show, which can also be viewed free of charge.

The series is rounded off with a reading by Manja Präkels on Wednesday, November 19th, in the Verden City Library, with the title “When I ate schnapps cherries with Hitler”, followed by a closing event on November 26th about the stories of GDR refugees in Hamburg.

East-West women's movement under the microscope

When considering German-German history, the role of the women's movement is not ignored. The first East-West women's congress, which took place in the Dynamo sports hall in East Berlin in 1990, was a turning point. This forum served to develop common strategies to protect women's rights during reunification, such as Digital German Women's Archive explained. The aim here was to bring together the different perspectives of Eastern and Western women - but there were often tensions because different social backgrounds clashed.

Women from the GDR generally worked full-time while still juggling household chores and raising children. In comparison, their West German colleagues demanded equal rights while often living in traditional family structures. The perception was divided: Eastern women were perceived as naive mothers, while Western women were often stigmatized as arrogant emancipates. An interesting book on this topic is “Of Muttis and Emances – Feminists in East and West Germany” by Gislinde Schwarz and Ulrike Helwerth.

Another important aspect is the debate about Paragraph 218, which regulates the legal framework for abortions. While this was legal in the GDR and women were part of social policy support at work and in the family, the situation in the Federal Republic was significantly more restrictive. In her analysis of the situation, Angela Merkel also concluded that there were also deficits in equality in the GDR, as the Politburo was made up entirely of men, which further fueled the discussion about the visibility and representation of women Federal Agency for Civic Education shows.