German Democratic Republic
Introduction
The German Democratic Republic or GDR (in German: die Deutsche Demokratische Republik - DDR) was a communist state which existed in the years 1949-1990. The socialist GDR was a member state of the Soviet Union and was, contrary to what the name suggests not democratic at all. The GDR ceased to exist, not when the Berlin Wall fell in Novemeber 1989 but in October of 1990 following the first democratic elections.
Books about the GDR
There are many books written in English which deal with the subject of the former GDR. However, a good knowledge of the German language is useful when studying this subject as the majority of texts are, as one would expect written in German. I have a small library of books relating to different aspects of the former GDR including the political structure, economy and daily life. I am mainly interested in how the daily life of GDR citizens was affected by the authoritarian rule of the SED. One of the best books I have found which deals primarily with this exact issue is, "The People's State: East German Society from Hitler to Honecker - Mary Fulbrook." This book can be obtained through Amazon along with Mary Fulbrook's other leading title on the subject, "Anatomy of a Dictatorship: Inside the GDR, 1949-1989." For personal accounts written by people from the former "workers' and farmers' state" see "Damals in der DDR. Der Alltag im Arbeiter- und Bauernstaat."