Customer Rating:  
Summary: Brilliant read
Comment: It may seem strange to describe a book about the GDR as a 'brilliant read', but this is what it is. Mary Fullbrook has certainly done a lot of research into the workings of the People's State, both the bad and the good, and reminds us that not all about the GDR was bad. To anyone old enough to remember the times before Thatcher in the UK, much will be familiar with much of that described in the book. Much of industry in the UK was state owned, overstaffed and failing, and the economy found itself in a very similar situation to that of the GDR just prior to the fall of the Wall. Importantly, much is made of that which was good about the GDR. That basic living standards were protected, and that people's basic needs were taken care of is a quality of a society that is not to be sneezed at. Many of the problems of maintaining such a system will be familiar territory to anyone who has grown up in a country where social welfare is regarded as important by government, and will probably be looked upon with envy by those not fortunate enough to be born into as caring a society. Many millions of people in, for example, the USA, have not had the 'luxury' of having anything worthy of comparison.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in how societies are governed, as it points out the pitfalls of political constraints, as well as the problems of allowing too many 'freedoms' (such as the 'freedom' to starve?). It also highlights concerns over state surveillance, which will strike a chord with recent developments in the UK with ever increasing state surveillance, and erosion of civil liberties.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A real contribution to our understanding of life in the GDR
Comment: I supposed my greatest praise of this book lies in two main areas
1. Firstly you really get a feel of what East German society and life were like, very much removed from the usual stereoypyes that are so often the norm. But please don't think this author is an apologist for the regime or makes any partisan political viewpoints either way. The book is grounded on excellent and paintaking research and this shows up all the way. Hence you do end up agreeing with her conclusions of normal everyday life in the GDR
2. Although the writer is a respected academic and as mentioned the book is thoroughly well-researched it reads very well indeed and doesn't get bogged down as some texts of this nature do. This is one of the main highlights of the book together with its highly interesting subject matter. Combining academic rigour with readability is a real skill and is to be applauded in this case.
I got this book from my local library, but would certainly not begrudge buying it - and theres plenty of times when you could'nt say that!
Customer Rating:
Summary: At last, a "different" book on GDR.
Comment: Yes, many of us suspected that life behind the iron curtain couldn't have been quite the absolute hell it was described in the west, before and after the collapse of communism.
Surely GDR survived for four decades not only because the iron hand of the regime was too heavy to fight but also because this very hand was creating a social environment where most citizens of the country could lead a "perfectly ordinary life"
Excellent work by the author, shows that historical books can be more authoritative when they present both sides of the argument.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The human beings behind the state
Comment: I thoroughly enjoyed this work - I read it for interest rather than for studies. It describes the ordinary East germans perception of every day life in East Germany, the good and the bad. It also describes the genuine attempts by the Party members some way below the "magic circle" to improve and assist the difficult aspects of life in the GDR with the exception of foreign travel- which was beyond their control.It describes the hard life of the non - government party members who had to live up to high ideals, work punishing hours, deal with all the complaints but without access to the perks of the Politbureau. Even the leadership had its aspirations for the people and improving their lives - again these seem to be genuine - but the cost of fully implementing the majority of this paternalistic strategy was economically impossible to achieve. It answers for me why there has been an outbreak of ostalgie and why some look on the old days with real affection. Comparisons are also usefully made with other western countries - the chapter on health reminds me of the NHS in the 60s!
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