Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, nostalgia for the old days and ways of socialist East Germany is stronger than ever. Germans even have a name for the phenomenon: “Ostalgie.” From East German scooters to ’80s hair metal, artifacts of the past are increasingly popular with some who grew up in the GDR [German Democratic Republic] and watched it disappear overnight — and even many who didn’t. But it’s controversial, because Ostalgie can move beyond favorite foods and bands, and into a problematic whitewashing of the misdeeds of the dictatorship.
Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!