Study Questions and Tips for Week Nine

Retro-Nationalism? Rock Music in the Former German Democratic Republic

1. This is a scholarly article that you are reading (most likely) as a non-specialist. First, do a little research. What is the GDR? What were the circumstances of its founding? What was its official ideology? Who is Eric Honecker? What is the Freie Deutsche Jugend or Free German Youth (FDJ)?

2. The GDR ceased to exist in 1990. Why? What were some of the consequences for its citizens? What is meant by N/Ostalgie?  [hint:Ost=East]

3. What is Amiga (193)? What role did it play in the public-ation or making public of music in the GDR?

4. (194) How do you understand “everyday forms of resistance”? How does punk music fit into this category?

5. (194) What does popular culture accomplish or do for its consumers or adherents?

6. If you are interested, here are links to some of the bands Simpson writes about:

Die Puhdys: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puhdys

Pankow (not much in English on them; you could fill this gap this summer): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pankow_%28German_band%29

Sandow: another gap. Only German sources on web, but several videos on youtube

Die Skeptiker: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Skeptiker

Feeling B: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeling_B

7. (197) Simpson indicates that it was characteristic of punk internationally to express skepticism about or lack of interest in the future. How did this “no future” attitude sit with those controlling the GDR state?

8. (199) Why was AljoshaRompe (Feeling B) “untouchable” as far as the authorities were concerned?

9. (202) What was the appeal to the “disgruntled” of “Mix mireinen Drink” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H80WDlfkZAA

How would you describe the style of this tune if you had not been told it was a punk song? 

10. (202) Why is “FDJ punk” an insult?

 Discussion:

1. What kind of research has the author done? What are her primary and secondary sources and how would you evaluate this research?

2. How might we consider punks and punk music fans a counter-public in the GDR? What do we learn about the role of popular culture in general?

3. Assuming that a group of musicians wants to reach a public/be widely heard, what were the choices facing punk bands in the GDR? What complicted their status (as opposed to polka bands, for example)?

4. In the GDR, the state regulated the distribution of popular music, rock, and punk. In the USA today, we don’t have such potent state regulation but there are other regulatory factors. Name a few and explain.