Oldal 408 [408]
406
Christoph Lorke
itself explicitly as an intellectual suggestion, which may generate further research
guestions and deeper analysis.?
Old-Age Pensioners: Promoting Social Respectability
The most elementary form of social differentiation within the context of state so¬
cialism was that based on work activity. There was an expectation that, in regard
to the old-age-pensioners, the audience should constantly be aware of their impor¬
tance as crucial members of society, in order to express gratitude to these “veterans
of work”. While in the first years after World War I] not a few of the elderly were
seen by the regime as bearers of the old, ‘backward’ way of life, this attitude has
strikingly changed since the 1960s, not least because of the intensified competitive
constellation between the Eastern Bloc and the West. The Cold War was already in
full swing and being the more “successful” side in offering more “appropriate” strat¬
egies and protection against social risks had an immense importance in this con¬
text. Thus, in the mass media soon narratives were established that had to “prove”
the pensioners’ submissive and humble attitude towards the state authorities. The
strong emphasis on work was essential in the GDR “workfare states” (Hockerts
1998: 21) and was obviously addressed to working people. Active and busy old
age—this was the central expression strongly underlining the position of honest
and long-standing labour. This was nothing other than a reinterpretation of the
high rate of pensioners who continued working in the GDR after their retirement,
because this was necessary for them to ensure a reasonable standard of living. As
a result, work during old age was romanticized and certain stable images could devel¬
op—for example, that of the sewing elderly woman.‘ But even “free-time”-activities
were supposed to be spent actively, leisurely, and—ideally—collectively rather than
alone. This included celebrations, reader circles, dicing, or parlour games.’ The im¬
age of aging collectively as a continuation of the “socialistic community of people”
and thus overcoming social isolation was visually outlined in contemporary GDR
self-help literature, too (e.g. Eitner 1979) (Fig. 1).
Another important recurring pattern was the constant “inter-generational”
visualization—thus, obviously, it should be symbolically proven that older people
have excellent knowledge and experience in life and labour, which can be passed on
to the youth. By contrast, grandmothers were presented as an important factor in
For example, it is possible to include the analysis of more local publications, such as daily, weekly,
or monthly newspapers and magazines, e.g. the Bulgarian women’s magazine, Zhenata Dnes (Woman
Today’).
* This work does not seek to present the full range of all the photographs found but rather to offer a selec¬
tion of “typical” visual representations. For this case, see H. Hein, “Mit 85 noch nicht zum “alten Eisen””
(‘At 85 Still Not on the “Scrap Heap”), Berliner Zeitung, October 30, 1960; R. Scheel, “Erfülltes Leben”
(‘Fulfilled Life’), Solidaritdt (‘Solidarity’) 1966.
> P Reinke, “Die aus dem früheren Scheunenviertel feiern Weihnachten” (“Those from the Former
Scheunenviertel Celebrate Christmas’), Solidarität 1964; M. Freund, “Im Feierabendheim” (‘In the Re¬
tirement Home’), Solidarität 1966.