Text and Pictures FAREWELL LONELINESS
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Photos by Harald Hauswald, texts by Stefan Wolle Text and pictures FAREWELL LONELINESS It is an old Russian farewell custom to sit together in Socialist imagery is dominated by happy young peo- silence for a minute before starting a journey. This is ple. Older people are usually only depicted if they are a time when people think of the good days and the “prominent figures” or heroes of past battles. In the bad days and of the uncertainties of the future. For a photos, they appear honoured and overjoyed to share moment, memories are awakened as images that pass their experience with the young generation. Reality before the mind’s eye. For years, the people in East looks very different. Older people in East Germany Germany experienced too many farewells. At some have been through two World Wars, have suffered time, everyone had to say goodbye to the childhood hunger and hardship, and many have been forced to belief that they were living in a world of beauty and leave their home country. A large number of wom- goodness. It took many people a long time to bid fare- en are still mourning their husbands and sons killed well to the illusion that a better socialism was possible. in the war. Things are particularly difficult for single Others said goodbye for ever to friends and family in women. After a hard working life, they receive a mis- order to seek their happiness in the West. And even- erable pension. In 1979, the minimum pension is only tually the time came to say goodbye to the state, which 280 marks. It is hardly possible to live on this pen- the majority of people did not love but which they sion, even though it is increased slightly up to 1989. In had somehow come to regard as their home. It was East Germany, there are no apartments adapted to the the long farewell from the illusory idyll of the perfect needs of the elderly, nursing services are mostly inad- world of dictatorship. Nothing but farewells. The pho- equate and nursing homes are a nightmare for many tos in this exhibition have become a picture chronicle elderly people. But the state does allow pensioners to of a farewell, but one that was also an awakening. travel to the West and to stay there if they want to. They have done their part. March 1990 — an East German border guard paints over The riddle of the Sphinx: What walks on four legs in the graffiti on the Berlin Wall. While the barriers on the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening? Any Western side are covered with graffiti, order and cleanli - traveller who could not answer the riddle was devoured ness are maintained on the Eastern side until the end. by the monster. The answer is simple: mankind. ESCAPE COMMUNITY It is Wolf Biermann’s first concert in East Germany During breakfast, the mood in the foreman’s hut is after having been banned from performing for eleven bad. “Kalle hasn’t come to work again,” the head of years. It takes place in the church in Prenzlau on 11 the brigade snarls. “I’ll have to report this, so that his September 1976. The singer-songwriter is troubled by missing hours can be deducted. This means we can the fact that his friends are leaving in search of a life in forget about the bonus.” The others remain silent, the West. The concert thus becomes a “sermon against slurping away at the carton of milk, which is provided the flight from the Republic”, as Biermann himself free of charge to workers exposed to silica dust. “Prob- writes a few days later in the magazine Der Spiegel. ably got drunk last night and couldn’t get up at five Biermann refers to three ways in which people are es- this morning,” one of his workmates pipes up. Then caping: from East Germany to the West; within East Schorschi turns to Harri: “Bring your Trabi round. Germany itself into either an idyllic private life or a We’ll go and get him.” Ten minutes later, they are on professional career; and from life into death. This fi- their way. They drag Kalle out of bed and make him nal form of “escape” is a reference to Oskar Brüsewitz, take a cold shower and drink a strong cup of coffee. a pastor who a month earlier had committed public An hour later, he is standing at his machine looking self-immolation in protest over discrimination against rather pale. There is a sense of community. This is de- Christians. Biermann expresses his objection to this manded and encouraged by the authorities. At the by citing Psalm 88: “Will you show wonders to the same time, this feeling of community provides a ref- dead?” Indeed, escaping is always a form of capitula- uge against the “bigwigs”, a place where you trust and tion and — for those in power — the most convenient help one another. Some people might have grinned way to get rid of critics. Two months after the concert when Kalle’s photo later appeared on the “Straße der in Prenzlau, Wolf Biermann is stripped of his East Besten” — a series of pictures displayed in showcases German citizenship while on tour in the West. to honour successful groups of workers. But the main thing was that the bonus was paid. On 1 May 1987, the weather in Berlin is stormy. The wind Pensioners of a Stephanus Foundation nursing home whistles round the flag bearers. The state and party leader- participating in group therapy in Heringsdorf on the island ship in East Berlin has also been exposed to the wind — the of Usedom in the Baltic Sea. wind of change blowing in from Moscow since 1985. CHEERFULNESS YOUTH The Peaceful Revolution in the autumn of 1989 is also This is not just any meeting of the Free German Youth a joyful revolution. A system armed to the teeth leaves organisation. The group has gathered to discuss the the stage of history — scowling but without violence. “ideological ambiguities” of the student W. The or- The most brutal border — at least in Europe — is over- ganisation’s members — including the “delinquent” run peacefully. It is like a miracle, but it is also the re- student W — all appear wearing their hallmark blue sult of a culture of cheerfulness. When the opposition shirts. The representative of the leadership of the So- gathered in the churches, it was not in the spirit of cialist Unity Party of Germany addresses the audi- a sombre revolt. Seldom has world history seen such ence: Counter-revolution, infiltration, subversion … gentle and cheerful revolutionaries. The heavily armed These empty words fly through the room like bullets. state power, on the other hand, had always taken it- The group is only expected to agree to the expulsion of self extremely seriously. However, the less there was the student W from the university. They are all young, to laugh about, the more popular political jokes be- including the representative of the party leadership came. Humour became the balancing pole with which and the informant of the Ministry for State Security to cross the abyss of resignation. In his song Ermuti- ( Stasi), whose report will survive the times. Youth is gung (Encouragement), which Wolf Biermann wrote in not a value in itself, but a combination of things: ad- 1966 for the poet Peter Huchel, who had been banned aptation and rebellion, cowardice and courage, career- from his profession, Biermann sings: “Don’t wear ism and desire for freedom. Would it be wise to argue yourself out here, / use every single day. / You cannot against expelling the student? Every contradiction disappear, / we need you and we fear / you’ll lose your could add a dangerous count to the charge: the forma- cheerful way.” tion of a subversive group. All the students — includ- ing the delinquent — thus vote in favour of the party’s proposal. Student W is given the chance to return to the university after having “proved his worth” for one year in the production sector. In 1989, Bärbel Bohley represents the cheerful and gentle A punk couple poses for the photographer in 1986 on face of the opposition in East Germany. Some people even Käthe-Niederkirchner-Straße in the Bötzowviertel residential call her the “Mother of the Revolution”. Happy is the revolu- area in East Berlin. A faded statement on the wall: “Ich liebe tion that has such mothers. dich” (I love you). CHILDHOOD LIES “Such tiny little hands / tiny fingers make” — this is In 1961, the Ost-Berliner Kinderbuchverlag publish- the beginning of the song Kinder (Children), writ- es the children’s book Gelsomino in the Land of Liars, ten by Bettina Wegner in 1976. “Never strike them or written by Italian author Gianni Rodari (1920–1980). their / tiny bones you’ll break.” This one song becomes The subject of his satire is the fascist Italy of his youth. so popular that it makes the singer-songwriter fa- In the land of liars, everything is the opposite of what mous— especially because it is also later performed by it normally is. When people get up in the morning, Joan Baez. The song is by no means apolitical since it is they say “Good Night” to one another, and when they about so much more than violence in nurseries. “Such go to bed in the evening, they say “Good Morning”. lovely little mouths / chatter unrestrained. / Never si- Cats are called dogs and are forced to bark. Dogs lence them or / they’ll never speak again.” meow and have to balance on the roof.