„Under the umbrella of the church” – being able to act in an organised way ……
The Protestant Church in the GDR was the only organisational structure that was independent of the state and had a public presence throughout the country. Catholic parishes had a selective presence. The non-state free spaces were used, rooms were made available; people could engage in thematic dialogue here; literature banned in the GDR was often shared privately; theology students and church employees were active in opposition groups. Due to the experiences of politically motivated SED repression and the possibilities of state punitive measures, the relationship on the part of the church was characterised by many compromises. Younger people in the young congregations in particular did not like this. They often acted much more socially critical in public than the church councils of the parishes. However, there were also youth/pastors or other church employees who were less willing to compromise and acted in a very liberal and progressive manner. But one of the perspectives today is that this “compromise relationship between the church and the SED state” made opposition work “under the umbrella of the church” possible in the first place…
I grew up in a Protestant family. That got me into a bit of trouble at school, but I’m very rooted in the church.
The turnaround started much earlier. It started with the fact that air pollution was weighing more and more heavily on people and environmental groups were forming and they didn’t know where to go. And the churches in the GDR were open enough at the time and opened their premises – so that such groups could meet “under the roof of the church”. It wasn’t right for everyone who had something to say in the church. As a young congregation, we had already done some persuasive work before 1989 and informed our teacher and pastor that, if we take the creation accounts seriously, the preservation of creation is a central task. So also the opening of the church to non-church groups. On the one hand, I am proud of the churches in the GDR. On the other hand, I know that not everything was so easy and self-evident.
In the early summer of ’89, a small provincial church conference was held in Leipzig. It was already bubbling up quite eerily. The rigidity of society had become unbearable. It was actually obvious to everyone that something had to change. But the state didn’t want to. And then in the summer, so many people left – even friends left. That hurt my heart because I thought at the time that the GDR could be changed for the better. A Christian always has hope, it must be possible in dialogue. That weighed heavily on me at the time. It was clear to me that I would stay here.
For me, it remains a miracle to this day that nothing happened. Somehow we all feared inwardly that they were making a Chinese solution here. There were many people who had a part to play: Gorbachev kept his tanks back; the “Call of the Six” also played a role, of course. So a lot of people can say for themselves that we played a big part in the peaceful outcome. For me, it remains a miracle. That’s also what gives me hope in life, what strengthens my faith. Changing society is not finished, it has to continue. Overall, of course, I’m glad that we had the change. I’m very happy that it went peacefully. And I still hope that the change will continue.
Beate Ißmer
28 years old, paediatric nurse, single; nurse in social care for the elderly since 2000