INTELEKTUALIŚCI W RFN I NRD WOBEC PRZEŁOMU W 1989 ROKU
INTELLECTUALS IN WEST AND EAST GERMANY TOWARDS

Summary/Abstract: The article is devoted to the role of the intellectuals of West and East Germany before the breakthrough, and the attitude they had towards the possibility of uniting Germany after the abolition of the Wall in 1989. Though often criticized, West German politically involved writers were viewed as ‘the conscience of the nation’ in West Germany. They supported SPD, and the most crucial political events of the 60s (the great coalition, students’ protests) tested their political determination. Many of them in 1989 were skeptical towards the idea of uniting Germany, which destroyed the foundation myth of West Germany – the stigma of genocide and opened the way to the comeback of rightist-conservative ideas. East German writers were opposed to uniting Germany, because of different reasons, though. The decline of East Germany was the end of its world and privileges, and many of them never accepted the turn of the history. The writers of both the states were criticized for their attitude, and criticism was followed by real lack of trust and authority of the group, concerning its political aspect of public actions.

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