GDR Tarihinin Çağdaş Doğu Almanya'sındaki Belirgin Sağcı Eğilimleri Nasıl Şekillendirdiği

Öz

Bu deneme, Doğu Almanya'daki belirgin sağcı tutumların yaygınlığını araştırmakta ve bunların köklerini Alman Demokratik Cumhuriyeti'nin (DDR) mirasında aramaktadır. Friedrich Ebert Vakfı'nın 2016 Mitte-Studien ve Leipzig merkezli Else Frenkel-Brunswik Enstitüsü'nün 2020 tarihli anketi gibi çalışmalara dayanarak yapılan analiz, Doğu ve Batı Almanya arasında sağcı popülist ve aşırılık yanlısı eğilimlerde önemli bir eşitsizlik olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır; bu durum, Doğu Almanlar arasında yabancı düşmanlığı, otoriterlik ve antisemitizme yönelik daha yüksek onay oranlarıyla örneklendirilmektedir. Almanya için Alternatif (AfD) partisinin Thüringen, Saksonya ve Brandenburg gibi doğu eyaletlerindeki seçim başarısı bu eğilimi daha da vurgulamakta olup, partinin bölgesel teşkilatları iç istihbarat teşkilatları tarafından sağcı aşırılıkçı olarak sınıflandırılmaktadır. DDR'nin tarihiyle bağlantılı dört temel faktör incelenmektedir: (1) DDR'nin izole toplumunda sosyalleşme, bu durum etnosentrizmi beslemiş ve yabancılarla teması sınırlamıştır, bu durum misafir işçilere yönelik kısıtlayıcı politikalarla kanıtlanmaktadır; (2) Nazi geçmişiyle yetersiz hesaplaşma, bu durum yerel suç ortaklığını küçümsemiş ve Batı karşıtı duyguları körüklemiştir; (3) devletin yeni ortaya çıkan neo-Nazi gruplarına karşı ikircikli tutumu, açık tartışmayı bastırmış ve önyargıların kontrolsüz bir şekilde devam etmesine izin vermiştir; ve (4) vatandaşları demokratik katılım konusunda deneyimsiz bırakan, demokratik kurumlara karşı şüpheciliği besleyen antidemokratik bir siyasi kültür. Bu faktörler toplu olarak sağcı tutumların çok yönlü kökenlerini aydınlatırken, deneme bunların ne kapsamlı ne de evrensel olarak kabul gördüğünü, bireysel deneyimlerin ve daha geniş Avrupa eğilimlerinin anlatıyı karmaşıklaştırdığını kabul etmektedir. Bu analiz, Doğu Almanya'daki sağcı aşırılığı anlamak ve ele almak için nüanslı, bölgesel olarak duyarlı yaklaşımlara duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Doğu Almanya
• sağ eğilimler
• demokrasi
• göç
• yabancı düşmanlığı
• AfD
• Doğu Almanya Tarihi
• Hafıza Kültürü

How the History of the GDR Shaped Pronounced Right-Wing Tendencies in Contemporary East Germany

Abstract

This essay investigates the pronounced prevalence of right-wing attitudes in East Germany, exploring their roots in the legacy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Drawing on studies, such as the 2016 Mitte-Studien by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the 2020 Leipzig-based Else Frenkel-Brunswik Institute survey, the analysis reveals a significant disparity in right-wing populist and extremist tendencies between Eastern and Western Germany, exemplified by higher approval rates for xenophobia, authoritarianism, and antisemitism among East Germans. The electoral success of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in eastern states like Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg further underscores this trend, with the party’s regional branches classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence agencies. Four key factors tied to the GDR’s history are examined: (1) socialization within the GDR’s isolated society, which fostered ethnocentrism and limited contact with foreigners, as evidenced by restrictive policies toward migrant workers; (2) an inadequate reckoning with the Nazi past, which downplayed local complicity and fueled anti-Western sentiment; (3) the state’s ambivalence toward nascent neo-Nazi groups, suppressing open discourse and allowing prejudices to persist unchecked; and (4) an undemocratic political culture that left citizens inexperienced with democratic participation, breeding skepticism toward democratic institutions. While these factors collectively illuminate the multifaceted origins of right-wing attitudes, the essay acknowledges that they are neither exhaustive nor universally accepted, with individual experiences and broader European trends complicating the narrative. This analysis highlights the need for nuanced, regionally sensitive approaches to understanding and addressing right-wing extremism in East Germany.

Keywords

• East Germany
• Right-wing
• Democracy
• AfD
• Immigration
• GDR History
• Memory Culture
• Xenophobia

Kaynakça

1. Acemoglu, Daron, et al. “(Successful) Democracies Breed Their Own Support.” The Review of Economic Studies, vol. 92, no. 2, 2025, p. 621. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
2. Authoritarian or Simply Disillusioned? Explaining Democratic Skepticism in Central and Eastern Europe | Political Behavior. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11109-022-09807-0. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
3. Auerbach, Kiran R., and Bilyana Petrova. “Authoritarian or Simply Disillusioned? Explaining Democratic Skepticism in Central and Eastern Europe.” Political Behavior, vol. 44, no. 4, 2022, pp. 1959–83. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
4. Bärsch, Thomas. “Verfassungsschutz: AfD Sachsen gesichert rechtsextremistisch.” ZDFheute, 8 Dec. 2023, https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/deutschland/afd-sachsen-rechtsextrem-verfassungsschutz-100.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
5. Beyer, Heidemarie. Entwicklung des Ausländerrechts in der DDR. (Publication details not provided).
6. Brähler, Elmar, et al. “Autoritäre Dynamiken und die Unzufriedenheit mit der Demokratie. Die rechtsextreme Einstellung in den ostdeutschen Bundesländern.” ResearchGate, 2023, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372074039_Autoritare_Dynamiken_und_die_Unzufriedenheit_mit_der_Demokratie_Die_Rechtsextreme_Einstellung_in_den_ostdeutschen_Bundeslaendern. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
7. Brähler, Elmar, and Oliver Decker. Autoritäre Dynamiken. (Book advertisement on Beck-Shop), 2023, https://www.beck-shop.de/braehler-decker-forschung-psychosozial-autoritaere-dynamiken/product/32027148/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
8. Brinks, J. H. “Political Anti-Fascism in the German Democratic Republic.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 32, no. 2, Apr. 1997, pp. 207–17. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.

9. Bröskamp, Bernd. Vom Auswanderungs- zum Einwanderungsland: Die DDR, ihre Ausländer, die Deutsche Wiedervereinigung und die Folgen. 2007, https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/6850?locale-attribute=de. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
10. Brück, Wolfgang. “Skinheads vor und nach der Wende in der DDR.” Deutschland Archiv, vol. 25, no. 5, 1992, pp. 40–43. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
11. Dennis, Mike. “Working under Hammer and Sickle: Vietnamese Workers in the German Democratic Republic, 1980–89.” German Politics, vol. 16, no. 3, 2007, pp. 315–35. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
12. Deutschland, RedaktionsNetzwerk. “Umfrage: USA-Skepsis vermehrt in Ostdeutschland.” 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.rnd.de/politik/vertrauen-in-usa-in-westdeutschland-groesser-in-ostdeutschland-vermehrt-skepsis-52OIXTYAURGL3CP62DMMG4WST4.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025. deutschlandfunk.de. “Studie – Osten anfällig für Rechtsextremismus.” Die Nachrichten, 18 May 2017, https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/studie-osten-anfaellig-fuer-rechtsextremismus-100.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
13. Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für die neuen Bundesländer. Ursachen des Rechtsextremismus in Ostdeutschland. 18 May 2017, https://www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/P-R/programm-rechtsextremismus-inostdeutschland.pdf. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
14. Elsner, Eva-Maria, and Lothar Elsner. Ausländerpolitik und Ausländerfeindschaft in der DDR (1949–1990). Rosa-Luxemburg-Verein, 1994.
15. Entorf, Horst, and Martin Lange. “Refugees Welcome? Understanding the Regional Heterogeneity of Anti-Foreigner Hate Crimes in Germany.” IZA Discussion Paper No. 12229, 2019, https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/12229/refugees-welcome-understanding-the-regional-heterogeneity-of-anti-foreigner-hate-crimes-in-germany. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
16. Grau, Ines. “Rassismus, Vertragsarbeit, DDR, Mosambik, Mauerfall, Biografische Erzählungen.” 21 June 2022, https://www.idz-jena.de/wsddet/wsd11-10. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
17. Jander, Martin. “Unvollendete Republik oder die Fortführung des Historikerstreits in der vereinigten Bundesrepublik.” 3 June 2020, https://www.idz-jena.de/wsddet/wsd7-18/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
18. Janson, Matthias. “Infografik: So haben Ost und West gewählt.” Statista Daily Data, 29 Sept. 2021, https://de.statista.com/infografik/25874/zweitstimmenanteil-der-parteien-bei-der-bundestagswahl-2021-in-ost-und-westdeutschland. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
19. Knappertsbusch, Felix. Antiamerikanismus in Deutschland: Über die Funktion von Amerikabildern in nationalistischer und ethnozentrischer Rhetorik. transcript Verlag, 2016. https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-3388-7/antiamerikanismus-in-deutschland. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
20. Kollmer, D. H. Rechtsextremistische Tendenzen unter jungen Menschen in Ostdeutschland. 2002.
21. Küpper, Beate. “Rechtspopulistische und rechtsextreme Einstellungen in Deutschland.” ResearchGate, 2017, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315446030_Rechtspopulistische_und_rechtsextreme_Einstellungen_in_Deutschland. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
22. “Landtagswahlen: Mehrheit der Ostdeutschen sieht Deutschland als scheinbare Demokratie.” Handelsblatt, 28 Aug. 2019, https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/landtagswahlen-mehrheit-der-ostdeutschen-sieht-deutschland-als-scheinbare-demokratie/100062092.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
23. Mau, Steffen. Ungleich vereint: Warum der Osten anders bleibt. Suhrkamp, 2024. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
24. Mau, Steffen, and Claus Offe. “Vom Einheitsrausch zum AfD-Kater? Steffen Mau und Claus Offe im Gespräch mit Claudia Czingon über 30 Jahre deutsche Einheit.” Leviathan, vol. 48, no. 3, 2020, pp. 358–80, https://doi.org/10.5771/0340-0425-2020-3-358. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
25. Menning, Sonja. “Zur Situation von Ausländern und Ausländerinnen im Osten Deutschlands vor und nach der Wende.” In Frauen am Arbeitsmarkt, edited by Marianne Assenmacher, Metropolis, 1993, pp. 71–79.
26. Michelsen, Danny, et al. Rechtsextremismus und Fremdenfeindlichkeit in Ostdeutschland im regionalen Kontext: Ursachen, Hintergründe, regionale Kontextfaktoren. Abschlussbericht des Forschungsprojekts “Ursachen und Hintergründe…” Göttinger Institut für Demokratieforschung, 2017, www.db-thueringen.de/receive/dbt_mods_00051843. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
27. Mitzkat, Nadja. “Rechtsextremismus in Ostdeutschland – Vom verordneten Antifaschismus zur AfD?” Deutschlandfunk Kultur, 8 Sept. 2021, https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/rechtsextremismus-in-ostdeutschland-vom-verordneten-100.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
28. Müggenburg, Andreas. Die ausländischen Vertragsarbeitnehmer in der ehemaligen DDR: Darstellung und Dokumentation. Bonn Univ. Druck, 1996.
29. Pettigrew, Thomas F., et al. “Direct and Indirect Intergroup Contact Effects on Prejudice: A Normative Interpretation.” International Journal of Intercultural Relations, vol. 31, no. 4, 2007, pp. 411–25, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2006.11.003. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
30. Pfeifer, Hans. “Wahl in Brandenburg: AfD weiter auf dem Vormarsch – DW – 23.09.2024.” Deutsche Welle, 23 Sept. 2024, https://www.dw.com/de/wahl-in-brandenburg-afd-weiter-auf-dem-vormarsch/a-70296239. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
31. Rabenschlag, Ann-Judith. “Völkerfreundschaft nach Bedarf: Ausländische Arbeitskräfte in der Wahrnehmung von Staat und Bevölkerung der DDR.” German History, vol. 34, no. 1, 2016, pp. 184–204, https://academic.oup.com/gh/article-abstract/34/1/184/2605094. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
32. Ritter, Daniel P. Civil Society and the Paralyzed State: Mobilizing for Democracy in East Germany. Working Paper, 2012, cadmus.eui.eu, https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/26179. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
33. Roland, Sturm. “Demokratie als ‘Leitgedanke’ des deutschen Föderalismus.” Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb), 3 May 2013, https://www.bpb.de/shop/zeitschriften/izpb/foederalismus-in-deutschland-318/159332/demokratie-als-leitgedanke-des-deutschen-foederalismus/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
34. Rosbach, Jens. “Antisemitismus in der DDR.” Deutschlandfunk Kultur, 16 Oct. 2009, https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/antisemitismus-in-der-ddr-100.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
35. Schwabe, Klaus. “Antiamerikanismus gestern und heute.” RWTH Aachen University, Historisches Institut, 2016, https://www.nz.histinst.rwth-aachen.de/cms/HISTINST-NZ/Forschung/Publikationen/~gxhm/Details/lidx/1/?file=168454. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
36. Stolz, Christopher, and Felix Kiefer. “Landtagswahlen im Osten: AfD gewinnt deutlich in Thüringen – CDU in Sachsen knapp vorn.” Der Tagesspiegel, 28 Aug. 2019, https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/landtagswahlen-im-osten-afd-gewinnt-deutlich-in-thuringen-cdu-in-sachsen-knapp-vorn-12295604.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
37. transcript. “Antiamerikanismus in Deutschland.” transcript Verlag, https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-3388-7/antiamerikanismus-in-deutschland/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
38. Wagner, Dr. Bernd. “Die Stasi & Neonazis in der DDR.” bpb.de, 2 Jan. 2018, https://www.bpb.de/themen/deutsche-teilung/stasi/218421/vertuschte-gefahr-die-stasi-neonazis/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
39. Werner, Oliver, et al. Bildung und Etablierung der DDR-Bezirke in Brandenburg: Verwaltung und Parteien in den Bezirken Potsdam, Frankfurt (Oder) und Cottbus 1952–1960. Franz Steiner Verlag, 2017.
40. Whitaker, Reginald. Federalism and Democratic Theory. University of Toronto Press, 2008, https://books.google.com/books/about/Federalism_and_Democratic_Theory.html?id=G2QnAQAAMAAJ. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
41. Wike, Richard, et al. “Minority Groups.” Pew Research Center, 14 Oct. 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2019/10/14/minority-groups/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
42. Wirzioch, Bastian. “Thüringer AfD: Warum stuft der Verfassungsschutz den Landesverband als rechtsextrem ein?” MDR, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/thueringen/afd-rechtsextremistisch-einstufung-verfassungsschutz-100.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
43. Wolfgram, Mark. Holocaust through the Prism of East German Television: Collective Memory and Audience Perceptions | Holocaust and Genocide Studies | Oxford Academic. Email: [e-mail] Phone: [phone] Academic. https://academic.oup.com/hgs/article-abstract/20/1/57/642048. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
44. Wolfgram, Mark. “Holocaust through the Prism of East German Television: Collective Memory and Audience Perceptions.” Holocaust and Genocide Studies, vol. 20, no. 1, 2006, pp. 57–79. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.