ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Debate over alleged erasure of East German literature

publication · 2026-06-05

Literary scholar Carsten Gansel argues in his new book that East German literature was systematically erased from collective memory after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The claim has sparked debate about the legacy of GDR literature and its place in German cultural history.

Key facts

  • Carsten Gansel wrote a book claiming East German literature was systematically erased after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
  • The book is titled 'Ausradiert' (Erased).
  • Gansel is a literary scholar.
  • The claim concerns literature from the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
  • The article is a review published in Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  • The review questions whether Gansel's claim is accurate.

Entities

Artists

  • Carsten Gansel

Institutions

  • Süddeutsche Zeitung

Locations

  • Germany

Sources