We want to merge German society in such a way that...your self-esteem and dignity can be preserved
Poster
1990 (designed and printed)
1990 (designed and printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a campaign poster issued by the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - German Social Democratic party) for the first and only free parliamentary elections ('Volkskammerwahl') in East Germany (GDR-German Democratic Republic) on the 18th of March 1990. The elections took place between the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany.
The text-based poster reproduces a citation by Oscar Lafontaine, the leader of the West German SPD who campaigned for the East German party as a candidate for Chancellor at the elections. He states: 'Wir wollen das Zusammenwachsen der Deutschen so gestalten, daß soziale Gerechtigkeit garantiert wird. Und die Menschen in der DDR müssen Ihre Selbstachtung und Würde bewahren können.' This means: 'We want to manage the growing together of Germans in a way that guarantees social justice. The people in the GDR must be able to hold on to their self-respect and dignity.'
The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party in the form of the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united.
The text-based poster reproduces a citation by Oscar Lafontaine, the leader of the West German SPD who campaigned for the East German party as a candidate for Chancellor at the elections. He states: 'Wir wollen das Zusammenwachsen der Deutschen so gestalten, daß soziale Gerechtigkeit garantiert wird. Und die Menschen in der DDR müssen Ihre Selbstachtung und Würde bewahren können.' This means: 'We want to manage the growing together of Germans in a way that guarantees social justice. The people in the GDR must be able to hold on to their self-respect and dignity.'
The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party in the form of the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united.
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Lithograph printed in black and red on paper |
| Brief description | Poster, lithograph, reproducing a citation by Oscar Lafontaine, issued by the SPD (Social Democratic Party) for their campaign for the first free parliamentary elections in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), GDR, 1990 |
| Physical description | Poster comprising only text printed in red and black on a white ground |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Item Provenance: Provenance: Mr. Stefan Landshoff, Main Stream Promotion, Hamptstrasse 56, D-1000 Berlin 62, Germany. Oskar Lafontaine was the leader of the West German SPD, who campaigned on behalf of the East German Party in the march 1990 elections. For further information about the SPD see notes to E.2087-1990. |
| Summary | This is a campaign poster issued by the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - German Social Democratic party) for the first and only free parliamentary elections ('Volkskammerwahl') in East Germany (GDR-German Democratic Republic) on the 18th of March 1990. The elections took place between the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany. The text-based poster reproduces a citation by Oscar Lafontaine, the leader of the West German SPD who campaigned for the East German party as a candidate for Chancellor at the elections. He states: 'Wir wollen das Zusammenwachsen der Deutschen so gestalten, daß soziale Gerechtigkeit garantiert wird. Und die Menschen in der DDR müssen Ihre Selbstachtung und Würde bewahren können.' This means: 'We want to manage the growing together of Germans in a way that guarantees social justice. The people in the GDR must be able to hold on to their self-respect and dignity.' The history of the SPD within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended in 1948, when it was forced to merge with the KPD (Communist party of Germany) to form the SED ('Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands - 'Socialist Unity Party of Germany'). The SPD was newly established (initially as the SDP) on the 7th of October 1989 - the anniversary of the founding of the GDR. For the election campaign the SPD was supported by its sister party in West Germany. One of the main arguments for voting for the SPD was the fact that the CDU-East (Christian Democratic Union) had been the partner of the SED since 1949 as a satellite party in the form of the National Front. However, the SPD parties did not communicate a determined intention for German reunification – as the CDU did. This accounted for them losing the absolute majority they aspired to. On 26th of September 1990 SPD-East and SPD-West united. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.3092-1990 |
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| Record created | February 23, 2009 |
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