United Fatherland? – New perspectives on the German division revealed!

United Fatherland? – New perspectives on the German division revealed!

On October 2, 2025, the anthology “United Fatherland?” was published, which deals with the division of Germany and its consequences. Edited by the Potsdam history professor Dominik Geppert and the journalist Daniel Deckers, the volume brings together 31 essays that emerged from a series in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. This series will run from the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2025 and was designed to take advantage of the double anniversary of the founding of the FAZ and the two German states in 1949. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier contributed to this work.

The main focus of the book is on the connections between East and West Germany and their long-term effects on society as a whole. The essays come from various disciplines, including history, sociology and law. The title of the book, inspired by the old national anthem of the GDR, reflects the complex relationships and experiences of the East German population.

A change of perspective on the division

The anthology calls for the history of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic not to be viewed in isolation, but rather in their mutual interconnections. Differences in political voting behavior, especially in the last federal election, are also discussed. This discrepancy highlights the ongoing gap between East and West Germany.

A notable aspect of the book is that it is written without extensive footnotes or scholarly apparatus in order to appeal to a broader readership. The photographs contained in the volume come exclusively from West German photographers who also traveled to the GDR and, together with the cover of Gerhard Richter's work of art “Black Red Gold”, form an impressive framework for the topics covered.

Historical context of the division

The division of Germany, which began with the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany on May 23, 1949 and the German Democratic Republic on October 7, 1949, was the result of ideological differences after the Second World War. Both states claimed representation of the entire German population, a circumstance that led to tensions for decades. The West German press repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the GDR, while the first Chancellor Konrad Adenauer declared the Federal Republic to be the only legitimate German state organization.

The Hallstein Doctrine solidified this view by classifying diplomatic relations with the GDR as unfriendly. It was only with the Eastern policy of the social-liberal government under Willy Brandt in the 1970s that a process of normalization was initiated, which ultimately led to the recognition of the GDR as the second German state in the basic treaty of 1972.

The historical review shows how deeply the roots of division are anchored in the post-war period. The various Allied conferences, including the Potsdam Conference, laid the foundation for the later division. While a socialist path was taken in the east, the western zones relied on parliamentary democracy. These different developments ultimately led to the Berlin Wall, which was built in 1961 to stop the refugee movement.

The anthology “United Fatherland?” not only offers a detailed analysis of the current discussions about East and West Germany, but also a memorable look at the roots of this topic and its evolutionary development up to the present day.

For further information about the history of the creation of the two German states and the historical context, see Federal Agency for Civic Education a valuable source. Historical details and basic explanations of the crucial conferences and political decisions are on Wikipedia to read.