Tobias J. Knoblich: Osten als Passage. Essays

In his collection of essays, Tobias J. Knoblich, Head of Cultural Affairs for the City of Erfurt, explores the complex experiences of life in the GDR and the upheavals following the fall of communism. In 47 interlinked texts, the author combines analytical reflections with biographical stories. The critical tone contradicts common narratives that often portray East Germany as ideologically damaged. Instead of nostalgia or trivialization, Knoblich sheds light on the full realities of people's lives in the GDR. He describes tragic experiences such as the suicide of an uncle as well as the peculiarities of everyday life. Knoblich's essays examine the asymmetrical unity of Germany and criticize the ideological beliefs of GDR socialism. In doing so, the author focuses on the perspectives of East Germans and their complex identities in order to paint a differentiated picture of the East.

Tobias J. Knoblich, born in 1971, is an alderman for culture, urban development and world heritage in the state capital Erfurt. The cultural scientist and cultural manager studied cultural studies, cultural work/cultural policy and European ethnology at the Humboldt University in Berlin, completed his doctorate at the University of Hildesheim and was a visiting professor at the University of Leipzig. He is President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V.