This book explores the nature of the dramatic growth in a distinct sense of East German identity in the years since the events that led to formal unification in 1990. While it is problematic to see ‘East Germanness’ as a singular and homogenous identity, it can be perceived as a distinctive phenomenon and a level of identification that exists alongside local, regional and national identities. The essays in this volume hope to challenge the commonly held misconception that East German regional identity is a problem that needs to be overcome in the process of unification. Through analyses of the social, political and cultural behaviour of East Germans and their perception of their own place in German society, this volume makes a complex and nuanced contribution to discussions on German national identity and the unification process.

This book explores the nature of the dramatic growth in a distinct sense of East German identity in the years since the events that led to formal unification in 1990. While it is problematic to see ‘East Germanness’ as a singular and homogenous identity, it can be perceived as a distinctive phenomenon and a level of identification that exists alongside local, regional and national identities. The essays in this volume hope to challenge the commonly held misconception that East German regional identity is a problem that needs to be overcome in the process of unification. Through analyses of the social, political and cultural behaviour of East Germans and their perception of their own place in German society, this volume makes a complex and nuanced contribution to discussions on German national identity and the unification process.