Beyond the Wall. Life in Communist and Post-Soviet Europe

Description

It may seem unthinkable to older viewers, but for an emerging generation of young adults the Cold War is little more than an abstract historical concept. Its impact on Eastern European society becomes vivid and concrete, however, when those who experienced it firsthand are given a chance to speak. In this film, citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, and what was once East Germany describe life under post-war Communism and offer candid assessments of the transition to freedom, capitalism, and democracy after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Topics include state-run education, government surveillance and torture methods, prison conditions, escapes to the West, the collapse of the Wall, German reunification, the dramatic corporate restructuring implemented by the Treuhand Agency, and more. Conversations with respected historians and authors are interwoven with the personal, emotionally charged recollections of civilians.

Runtime

91 min

Subjects

Geography

Genre

Date of Publication

[2013], c2010

Database

Films on Demand

Direct Link