Real life within the false one - Manifestations of east German identity in post-reunification texts

Beginning with a short review of the question of East German identity, this chapter analyses texts by Daniela Dahn, Thomas Rosenlocher and Hans-J. Misselwitz to show how history is recounted through stories. Despite the authors' different biographical backgrounds and their varying styles, the three chosen texts have two things in common: the :central positioning of an 'East-We' and the use of small literary forms - be it in the form of anecdote, joke, almanac story or by example - guarantee not only the preservation of individual and collective experiences but their reproduction as well.