Creating a Democratic Civil Society in Eastern Germany: The Case of the Citizen Movements and Alliance 90

298 Pages·2001·1.645 MB·English

by  Christiane Olivo (auth.)

Creating a Democratic
Í
Civil Society in Eastern Germany
The Case of the Citizen
Movements and Alliance 90
Christiane Olivo
CREATINGADEMOCRATICCIVILSOCIETYINEASTERNGERMANY
Copyright © Christiane Olivo, 2001.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2001 978-0-312-23401-0
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published 2001 by
PALGRAVE™
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 and
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS.
Companies and representatives throughout the world.
PALGRAVE is the new global publishing imprint of St Martin’s Press LLC
Scholarly and Reference Division and Palgrave Publishers Ltd (formerly
Macmillan Press Ltd).
ISBN 978-1-349-38627-7 ISBN 978-0-312-29959-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9780312299590
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available from the Li-
brary of Congress.
Design by Letra Libre, Inc.
First Edition: May 2001
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments v
List of Abbreviations vii
Interviews ix
Introduction 1
Chapter One The Reemergence of Civil Society as a
Concept of Democratic Politics 9
Chapter Two Civil Society, Public Spheres, and
Democratic Deliberation 33
Chapter Three Political Dissidence and Civil Society
in Pre-1989 East Germany 61
Chapter Four Institutionalizing Civil Society
During the GDR’s Democratic Transition 91
Chapter Five Citizen Movement or Political Party?
Alliance 90 (1990–93) 119
Chapter Six Integrating Citizen
Movement Politics: Democratic
Possibilities and Practical Limitations 147
Chapter Seven What Happened to the
Citizen Movements? Political
Transformations and Democratic Legacies 177
Chapter Eight Civil Society Politics
Between Ideal and Reality 201
Notes 225
Index 289
This page intentionally left blank
Acknowledgments
This book began in 1993 as my doctoral dissertation, and it could not
have been completed without the generous support I have received
from a variety of sources. I am grateful for much-needed financial
support extended in the form of a Freie Universität Berlin dissertation fel-
lowship; Indiana University travel grant; P.E.O. Scholar Award; P.E.O. Sec-
ond-Year Scholar Award; dissertation writing award from The Research and
Graduate School at Indiana University; German Academic Exchange Pro-
gram (DAAD) post-doctoral fellowship; and Antioch College Trustees’
Award for professional development.
I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee at In-
diana University, Professor Emeritus Alfred Diamant, Professor Norman
Furniss, and Professor Russell Hanson. I extend special thanks to my disser-
tation supervisor, Professor Jeffrey Isaac, whose critical, yet always support-
ive, voice has been vital to both the completion and revision of the
dissertation, and whose ongoing encouragement about this project’s merits
has been greatly appreciated.
There are many other people who have helped me to complete this pro-
ject. I would like to acknowledge the help and support of the political ac-
tivists I came to know in eastern Germany. Hearing about their experiences
as members of the political opposition movement in the former German
Democratic Republic before, during, and after the transition to democracy,
gave me invaluable insight into this research topic. Many opened their
homes and personal files to me, and all provided fascinating conversation
about the developments in eastern Germany. I was given access to several
archives in East Berlin, including those of Neues Forum, Demokratie Jetzt,
the Umweltbibliothek, and to the archive of the Bündnis 90 office in
Güstrow. I am also grateful to Professor-Dr. Helmut Wiesenthal of the
Humboldt Universität for providing me with office space and use of the li-
brary during my post-doctoral research in the summer of 1998, and to his
former research associate, Jan Wielgohs, for arranging the visit. Many thanks
go to my old friend in Berlin, Erni von Aster, for provding me with helpful
newspaper searches.
vi Creating a Democratic Civil Society in Eastern Germany
Many people have read parts of the manuscript in various forms over the
years and given me insightful feedback. I would like to thank Dana Chabot,
Simone Chambers, Mike Cummings, Krista Gardner, Jean Gregorek, Carol
Hager, Henry Krisch, Gregg Kvistad, Horst Mewes, A. James McAdams,
Joyce Marie Mushaben, Claus Offe, Jaylyn Olivo, Peter-Christian Olivo,
Jonathan Olsen, Dieter Rucht, Bill Scheuerman, Louise Schmich-Davidson,
and Jan Wielgohs. I also would like to thank the journal Polity for permis-
sion to reprint parts of chapters four and six, which appeared as the article,
“The Practical Problems of Bridging Civil Society and the State: A Study of
Round Tables in Eastern Germany,” in Winter 1998.
I owe a debt of gratitude to my friends, family, and colleagues who have
put up with my varying moods during different stages of this project, and
who never failed to believe—even when I sometimes didn’t—that I would
indeed finish it. I would especially like to acknowledge my mother, Karin E.
Steenberg, who instilled in me the drive and ambition to set forth challeng-
ing goals for myself and the self-discipline to accomplish them. Most of all
I must thank my husband, David Brunner, who has been there for me
throughout graduate school, field research, and the writing process, always
believing in my abilities and always reminding me of life outside academia.
Without Dave’s unwavering love, support, and encouragement, and without
my daughter Liliana’s inspiration and sheer delight in the world, I would not
be where I am today.
List of Abbreviations
A90 Alliance 90 (Bündnis 90)
ABM Work Creation Program (Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnahmen)
AfNS Office for National Security (Amt für Nationale Sicherheit)
BUND Federal Environmental and Nature Preservation Association (Bund für
Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland)
CC(s) Citizen Committee(s) (Bürgerkomitee[s])
CDU Christian Democratic Union (Christliche Demokratische Union)
CRT Central Round Table (Zentraler Runder Tisch)
DN Democracy Now (Demokratie Jetzt)
FDJ Free German Youth (Freie Deutsche Jugend)
FDP Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei)
FRG Federal Republic of Germany
GDR German Democratic Republic
GL Green League (Grüne Liga)
GLC Greater London Council
IFM Initiative for Peace and Human Rights (Initiative Frieden und Men-
schenrechte)
JCC Joint Constitutional Commission (Gemeinsame Verfassungskommission)
KAN “Club of Engaged Party-less [Citizens]”
KOR Committee to Defend Workers
NABU Nature Protection Association of Germany (Naturschutzbund
Deutschland)
NF New Forum (Neues Forum)
NGOs Non-governmental organizations
NSMs New social movements
PDS Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des demokratischen Sozialismus)
RPPD Renouncement of the Practice and Principle of Demarcation (Absage
an Praxis und Prinzip der Abgrenzung)
RT(s) Round Table(s) (Runder Tisch)
SDP Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei)
SED Socialist Unity Party of Germany(Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands)
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei
Deutschlands)
Stasi State Security Service (Staatssicherheitsdienst)
UB Environmental Library (Umweltbibliothek)
UL United Left (Vereingte Linke)
This page intentionally left blank
Interviews
Erhard O. Müller, February 9, 1994, Reinhard Schult, June 22, 1994, Berlin
Berlin Thomas Kreutzer, June 22, 1994,
Mona Troschke, February 14, 1994, Berlin
Berlin Marianne Birthler, June 23, 1994,
Frank Drauschke, February 14, 1994, Berlin
Berlin Bärbel Bohley, June 27, 1994, Berlin
Anette Detering, March 11, 1994, Berlin Heiko Lietz, June 28, 1994, Güstrow
Wolfgang Ullmann, April 5, 1994, Ulrike Poppe, July 6, 1994, Berlin
Berlin Erhard O. Müller, June 29, 1998,
Ludwig Mehlhorn, April 13, 1994, Berlin
Berlin Christina Rastig, July 1, 1998, Berlin
Brigette Engler, May 25, 1994, Berlin Petra Morawe, July 13, 1998, Berlin
Hans-Jürgen Fischbeck, May 28, 1994, Karl-Heinz Gerstenberg, July 14, 1998,
Berlin Dresden
Konrad Weiß, June 1, 1994, Berlin Heike König, July 15, 1998, Leipzig
Ingrid Köppe, June 3, 1994, Berlin Friedrich Magirius, July 15, 1998,
Petra Morawe, June 4, 1994, Berlin Leipzig
Jens Reich, June 6, 1994, Berlin Steffi Lemke, July 16, 1998, Dessau
Reinhard Weißhuhn, June 9, 1994, Hanna Haupt, July 16, 1998, Halle
Berlin Torsten Hahnel, July 16, 1998, Halle
Stephan Bickhardt, June 14, 1994, Marianne Birthler, July 20, 1998,
Eberswalde Berlin
Wolfgang Templin, June 16, 1994, Torsten Ehrke, July 21, 1998, Potsdam
Berlin Uwe Arnold, July 22, 1998, Magdeburg
Dietmar Volk, June 17, 1994, Berlin Jochen Tschiche, July 22, 1998,
Gerd Poppe, June 20, 1994, Berlin Magdeburg
Klaus Wolfram, June 22, 1994, Berlin Heiko Lietz, July 23, 1998, Güstrow