Within the scope of my thesis, I would like to examine the impact of American popular culture on the German Sector and the later German Democratic Republic, as well as its reception by officials and the civilian population. As America's impact was felt in both Germanies, my research will start with a description of the American cultural hegemony in both East and West Germany shortly after the Second World War. While West German authorities, even though concerned about the impact of American popular culture on their society, soon decided to let the cultural mixing regulate itself; East German officials tried throughout their whole history to oppress and abolish these influences.
I will therefore try to show the efforts that were made to restrict these foreign 'infiltrations' in East Germany. As this thesis can only give a minor glimpse, I will concentrate on American popular culture in the fields of music and film, and the years from 1945 until the late 1960s. I will hereby especially concentrate on youth culture, as adolescents were most open to Americanization. On them, the war had made the deepest inflictions; they more than others longed for a possibility to repair the cutbacks they had to endure during the war. Americanization also meant provocation and self-confidence, a possibility to demarcate them from others and from the state in general. At the same time, young adults found themselves in the focus of a foreign industry, that saw them as target group for their consumer goods and cultural exports in music, art, and film.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Foreword
- American Cultural Hegemony in Germany
- American Culture in East Germany
- The Wild Ones: American Movies and Halbstarke in East and West
- Rock'n'Roll vs. Lipsi: American Music in the GDR
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines the influence of American popular culture on the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the reception of this culture by officials and the civilian population. It analyzes the efforts made to restrict American cultural influences in East Germany and the impact of this on the youth culture of the GDR. The paper focuses specifically on American music and film in the years 1945 to the late 1960s.
- The impact of American popular culture on the GDR.
- The role of American culture in shaping youth culture in East Germany.
- The efforts of East German authorities to control and restrict American cultural influences.
- The reception of American popular culture by the GDR population.
- The influence of American popular culture on the development of a distinct East German identity.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Foreword: This chapter introduces the historical context of post-World War II Germany and the dominant position of the United States in the postwar era. It discusses the impact of American influence on European culture and the emergence of Anti-Americanism in the 1950s.
- American Cultural Hegemony in Germany: This chapter explores the broader context of American cultural influence in Germany after World War II, highlighting the differences in how West Germany and East Germany responded to this influence.
- American Culture in East Germany: This chapter examines the specific ways in which American popular culture, particularly music and film, impacted the GDR. It focuses on the reception of American cultural products by East Germans and the efforts of the East German government to restrict these influences.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This term paper focuses on the key topics of American cultural hegemony, East German cultural policy, youth culture, Americanization, rock and roll, and the influence of American movies on the GDR.
- Quote paper
- Patricia Patkovszky (Author), 2007, Rock'n'Roll vs. Lipsi - the Influence of American Popular Culture on the GDR, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/85987
