Evelyn Zupke Warns: Remember DDR as a Dictatorship for a Stronger Democracy
Enforcing Understanding of East Germany as a Dictatorship: Ombudsperson's Call for Education Enhancement - Enhancing Understanding of East Germany's Dictatorship Role: Views from the Victim Ombudsman
Hold on tight to the past, East Germany! 35 years post-reunification, Evelyn Zupke, the SED Victims' Commissioner, shouts wake up calls against historical amnesia. "Germany, don't forget the DDR was a bonafide dictatorship!" she declares, echoing her 2025 annual report presentation.
She throws out ideas, like pitching for memorial site restoration using debt-financed billions from the special fund for infrastructure. "Each euro invested in remembering our brutal past is an investment in our cherished democracy," she says with conviction, adding that several facilities require repairs, and funds may not be enough.
Her second wish? The German Government to cough up dough for a memorial for the victims of communism planned between the Chancellery and the Bundestag in Berlin.
Is democracy and dictatorship just two sides of the coin?
Zupke marks concerns. Over half of East Germans claim a lack of political influence, she says, echoing a sentiment that leaves democracy and dictatorship feeling shockingly alike. "Wrong, wrong, wrong!" she asserts, emphasizing that the DDR era's consequences still linger.
Her purpose, she clarifies, is to ensure the tormented legacy of the politically persecuted in the DDR comes under the spotlight. "The freedom of every political detainee brings immense satisfaction for my role!"
Life's a breeze for SED victims
2022 has seen a dramatic turn of events for former political prisoners, thanks to a reformation in compensation payments, according to Zupke. Victim pensions have inflated, and no longer depend on the recipient's pitiful state.
"This makes the benefit a real honor pension," Zupke gleams, adding that those with professional backlashes can opt for higher recompense, and health damages stemming from repression are easier to identify. "Phew! That's a sigh of relief for the affected!" quips Zupke.
Zupke quantifies the number of SED victims in the hundreds of thousands, counting 250,000 prisoners, 136,000 children erroneously institutionalized, up to 10,000 youngsters subjected to state doping, and women forced into closed clinic wards due to suspicion of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as women infected with hepatitis C through dodgy vitamin D ampoules.
Zupke's annual report drops on the anniversary of the DDR uprising on June 17, 1953. That day witnessed a whopping one million protesters in East Germany, shouting out for improved work conditions and free elections, only to meet brutal suppression by the DDR government and Soviet troops. At least 55 people were killed, and 15,000 were arrested.
- Evelyn Zupke
- DDR
- SED
- Dictatorship
- Democracy
- Berlin
- Bundestag
- East Germany
Insights:
- Evelyn Zupke's campaign stresses the importance of remembering the DDR's brutal, Stalinist rule as a means to strengthen democratic values in modern Germany.
- The German government's increased support for SED victims showcases the country's commitment to rectifying past wrongs and providing justice to those who suffered.
- The commemoration of the EU Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism can serve as a catalyst to educate the public about the oppressive nature of the DDR, reinforcing appreciation for democratic freedoms and human rights.
- The Commission, considering the ongoing significance of the DDR's dictatorship, could propose extending the period of validity of the agreement to cover discussions about politics and the role of democracy in East Germany, particularly in light of concerns raised by Evelyn Zupke about the lack of political influence felt by more than half of East Germans.
- In line with Evelyn Zupke's advocacy, it would be worthwhile for the media to focus on planning and funding for a proposed memorial for the victims of communism in Berlin, which highlights the importance of remembering the past for a stronger democracy, especially in the context of the DDR era's lasting consequences.
