Creating Folksongs of Thier Time: Song Production and Cultural Performance in the Early German Democratic Republic

Abstract

This dissertation examines the role of Liedschaffen—the efforts to produce politically and culturally impactful songs—in shaping East German society during the Aufbau period (1949–1965). Central to this study is the Bitterfelder Weg, a 1959 cultural-political initiative aimed at bridging the gap between intellectuals and the working class through the promotion of amateur artistic creation. By analyzing primary sources such as committee records, song texts, and archival documents, the dissertation reveals how cultural policymakers sought to legitimize these songs within East German musical culture through a process of “folksongization.” This examination of the production and performance of mass songs (Massenlieder) as “folk songs of their time” uncovers a complex negotiation between the imperatives of socialist realism and the ideals of German musical heritage (Erbe), ultimately presenting song and communal singing as vehicles for collective expression and social cohesion. The concept of Wirkung (impact) is crucial to understanding these efforts, emphasizing the belief that music—particularly song—could directly influence social behavior and collective consciousness. Further evidence of performative concepts of singing and song in the GDR emerges from a historiographical analysis of vocal performances of Hanns Eisler’s art songs. The findings challenge recent attempts to define a static “authentic” style and suggest that authentic performance requires singers to engage with the material in ways that reflect evolving social contexts, rather than adhering to predetermined aesthetics or past models. By integrating musicology, performance studies, sociology, and cultural history, this research calls for a dynamic understanding of music as a socially engaged practice, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of East German musical culture and its role in shaping a “nation of song.”