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Gotta start 'em young -

The indoctrination of the communist ideology started in kindergarten. Group thinking was prioritized instead of individualism. Nursery rhymes were replaced by songs such as ‘I Want to be a Volkspolizist’ (a GDR police officer). It was, however, all free. Including meals.

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Babies would be fed -

Lactating women were encouraged to donate breast milk to milk banks, so that those who struggled to produce their own milk could feed their babies. This was also key for orphans, who didn’t have a biological mother to feed them. In 1989 alone, 200,000 liters of the stuff was donated.

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Recycling was a big deal (and big business) -

There was a lack of raw materials, so recycling played a huge role in the economy. Children were encouraged to collect recycling materials, which they would then exchange for money at recycling centers.

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Sports were huge -

The Soviets had a strong sporting tradition so, naturally, the GDR became the birthplace of many elite athletes, who went on to excel in various sports and international competitions. At the Moscow Olympics in 1980 alone, the country amassed 47 gold medals. Doping, however, was a problem across the Eastern Bloc countries.

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Foreign movies were censored -

The GDR banned a number of Western movies for supposedly posing a threat to their ideology and promoting capitalism. Among these was 1978’s ‘Grease.’

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State atheism changed Christian traditions -

Confirmation is an important step in a young Christian’s life. Though Germans also celebrated a secular coming-of-age ceremony known as the Jugendweihe (Youth Consecration). GDR leadership saw this as an opportunity to hijack Christian confirmation for a GDR Jugendweihe, where a pledged allegiance to the state was sworn.

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Women got jobs…and equal pay -

Women were encouraged to work and were paid the same as men. In addition, families benefited from free childcare.

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Music artists had to sing in German -

All East German bands and solo artists had to sing in German. Foreign music could be picked up from radio stations in West Germany, so it was important to make a distinction. Pictured is rock band Karat.

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The Trabant car was all the rage -

The Trabant was small in size, but huge in popularity across East Germany. Demand was so high that people were willing to wait for 15 years to buy a new one.

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Vita Cola was East Germany’s answer to Coca-Cola -

The GDR had its own cola. Its flavor is described as less sweet and more citrusy than Coca-Cola. Vita Cola started to be produced in 1957 and remains a very popular drink in Germany to this day. Then, in 1967, another Eastern cola was launched: Club Cola.

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People tried to escape (and some were successful) -

There were numerous attempts to flee the country, and some of them were very daring, such as attempting to cross the Berlin Wall in a hot air balloon. It is estimated that around 5,000 out of 100,000 people managed to do it. Some 140 people lost their lives trying to get over the Wall.

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Mass surveillance -

At one point, GDR’s secret police, the Stasi, employed over 90,000 people—which goes to show the magnitude of their work. It’s estimated that some 250,000 East Germans were arrested as a result of surveillance. Surviving Stasi records on citizens fill a whopping 111 km (69 miles) of shelf space.

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East Germans were obsessed with Native American culture -

Native American culture resonated with communist principles in that they were an example of an oppressed group bravely fighting for their freedom from invading capitalists. Plus, they didn’t have any private property either.

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Die Söhne der großen Bärin -

The Eastern Bloc take on the American Western saw Native Americans as heroes and the cowboys as the bad guys. East German filmmakers produced a number of these films, known as Ostern (Eastern), including the popular 1966 movie 'Die Söhne der großen Bärin' ('The Sons of Great Bear').

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Anti-fascist cinema -

In addition to Red Westerns, East German filmmakers also made some classic anti-fascist movies. Examples include ‘Jacob the Liar’ (1974) and ‘Five Cartridges’ (1960).

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Jeans were a symbol of rebellion (and capitalism) -

Wearing nietenhosen (studded trousers) in East Germany could get you barred from entering dance halls, and you’d be sent home if you showed up to school wearing them. Levi's were smuggled in from West Berlin and sold on the black market for small fortunes! It was not until 1974 that the GDR began producing their own jeans.

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East German jokes -

East Germans had a sense of humor, and their jokes were often used as a social critique and political satire. The government, however, was not amused. So much so that they once launched Operation GDR Joke, where political jokes would be collected and evaluated. Inspectors would do this by overhearing people talking on trains, etc. Telling some jokes could land citizens in prison for years.

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Berlin was not the only place with a wall -

The village of Mödlareuth was also divided by a wall separating East and West Germany.

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Stamp collecting was a popular hobby -

The National Philatelist Association in the GDR had 70,000 members. Perhaps collecting stamps was a way to experience a bit of the outside world.

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Kids went to school six days a week -

In the GDR, schoolchildren started class at 7 am and finished in the afternoon. Lessons would last 45 minutes each.

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There were no stalls in schools’ bathrooms -

This lack of privacy was apparently to discourage individualism and encourage unity among students.

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Farming was collectivized -

There were both state-owned farms known as Volkseigenes Gut, and private farms known as Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaften (Agricultural Production Cooperatives), which were also collectivized.

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Working was a right -

Every citizen had the right to a job. Not only that, but if you didn’t work you could be prosecuted. The GDR prided themselves on having a zero unemployment rate. Though, despite what the government said, it is estimated that about 15% of the population didn’t actually work.

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Housing -

The post-war housing crisis was solved by building Plattenbau—apartment buildings made of prefabricated concrete panels. These were functional and gave most people a roof. The GDR froze rent prices, but some tenants just couldn’t afford maintenance of their homes.

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Military service was mandatory -

All men in East Germany aged between 18 and 26 had to do 18 months of national service. Conscientious objectors also joined the Nationale Volksarmee (National People’s Army), but, instead of bearing weapons, they’d join construction units called Baueinheiten.

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Manufacturing was key to the GDR’s economy -

Manufacturing was huge in East Germany. There were massive factories spread across the country, building all kinds of stuff, including cameras, rifles, and typewriters, to name a few.

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TV chef Kurt Drummer was a celeb -

TV chef Kurt Drummer was on East German television for 25 years. On his show, Chef Drummer taught viewers how to make the most of (the scarce) ingredients and cook nutritious meals.

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Everyone dreaded the Stasi’s prison -

The Stasi ran a prison called the Hohenschönhausen. This was the place no one wanted to be thrown in. Conditions were dreadful, and the prisoners' treatment was even worse.

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Favorite comic -

East German kids loved a comic called Mosaik. While it had subliminal propaganda in it, kids would also learn a lot about subjects such as history, science, and geography.

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East Germans were sexually liberal -

Birth control and premarital sex were widely accepted in East Germany. There was no influence of the Church in such matters, which led to more sexual freedom for everyone.

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Naturism was big in East German -

East Germans liked to enjoy the great outdoors without wearing any clothes. Freikörperkultur (Free Body Culture) was popular in the GDR.

Sources: (History) (Wired) (CNN) (History Collection) (Associated Press)

See also: Ruins and rubble: Germany post-WWII

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