Postmodernism & Deutschland 83
Media Magazine - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past
Media Magazine 73 has a feature exploring Deutschland 83 as a postmodern media product. Read ‘Deutschland 83 - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past’ in MM73 (p18). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:
1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?
2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis?
'It is an example of a text that reimagines the past by blurring the established views of the Cold War through a postmodern treatment, perhaps accounting for its success (it was the first German language TV programme to air on a USA network; it has become the highest-rated foreign-language drama in UK history). Postmodernism is characterised by the self-conscious use of historical styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, including the playful use of intertextuality, blending of fact, fiction and genre hybridization, pastiche, parody and irony.'
3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.
4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?
One of the key scenes is the the party scene at Martin’s house when he returns from leave in East Germany. Martin arrives and embraces family members in a bright, sunlit garden setting. In the living room, young people (including his girlfriend, Annett) are drinking beers and dancing and singing to the Cold War era protest song ‘99 Luftballoons’ that is later played in the West German barracks too. This scene reimagines the representation of the East beyond the operators of the restrictive state to the humanity, care and affection of everyday family and friends.
5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?
Martin’s first taste of western consumerism, in the supermarket scene is playfully underscored by the Eurythmics 1980’s pop song ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of This’ as Martin wonders at the volume and choice of products available in the West.
6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience?
Ultimately though, the fact that our protagonist is a communist who is being manipulated by his own side indicates that this text is appealing to a post-unification audience who are ready to challenge fixed Cold War versions of ‘reality’. A key theorist at A level is Jean Baudrillard with his ideas of ‘Simulacra’ – representations that depict things that have no original. We cannot know for certain how Eastern and Western Europeans behaved during this time – what we are seeing is only a reimagining and one that is influenced by the present. According to postmodern theorist Baudrillard, Simulacra reveal that there is no fixed, absolute truth; and Deutschland 83 certainly challenges our preconceptions of this period of history.
Postmodernism Factsheet
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
It talks about how advertising can make or break a company irrespective of the quality of the product they are selling, a poor quality product can be commercially successful if it has great advertising whilst an excellent product can fail without it.
3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
The modern rise of celebrities launched through reality television programmes such as Big Brother can be seen as the culture celebrating style over substance. Many celebrities are now famous for being famous rather than for an identifiable talent or ability.
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
In postmodern culture, Andy Warhol created multi-coloured prints of the Campbell’s soup cans which was very popular. It was similarly shown in the supermarket scene where the shelves are filled with neatly and bright products. It is said to be 'Warholesque'.
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage refers to the process of adapting and juxtaposing old and new texts, images, ideas or narratives to produce whole new meanings.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
Meta-narratives (or grand narratives (Lyotard) literally meaning ‘big stories’) are the ideas and concepts that have been used to attempt to explain the way the world is and the way it should be. Human history is full of these grand narratives from religion to political/economic theories. Communism, Fascism, Liberalism and Socialism are some examples of grand narratives that have been applied in various contexts in the last 100 years. In postmodern society it is argued that people no longer believe there are absolute ways to explain reality.
7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
The main key scene that reinforces postmodernism is probably the supermarket scene where Martin is undercover in the West when he comes across a fully stocked, perfectly shelved aisle that referenced popular pop art, Andy Warhol, whilst also playing a song that was didn't exist during that time.
Media Magazine 73 has a feature exploring Deutschland 83 as a postmodern media product. Read ‘Deutschland 83 - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past’ in MM73 (p18). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:
1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?
'The representations of the Cold War-era Germany often fit a stereotypical binary ‘good vs evil’. The Cold War – the state of tension and hostility between the Soviet bloc countries and the West from 1945 to 1990 – has inspired a series of film and media texts within the spy genre. These texts often present the East and West as binary opposites through codes and conventions. The communist East is presented grey and stark, no billboards, culture or entertainment and strict limitations of citizens’ movements and availability of certain foods (e.g. coffee and bananas). The capitalist West, in contrast, is a world of department stores, restaurants and cars, pop-culture and entertainment and free movement.'
2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis?
'It is an example of a text that reimagines the past by blurring the established views of the Cold War through a postmodern treatment, perhaps accounting for its success (it was the first German language TV programme to air on a USA network; it has become the highest-rated foreign-language drama in UK history). Postmodernism is characterised by the self-conscious use of historical styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, including the playful use of intertextuality, blending of fact, fiction and genre hybridization, pastiche, parody and irony.'
3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.
4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?
One of the key scenes is the the party scene at Martin’s house when he returns from leave in East Germany. Martin arrives and embraces family members in a bright, sunlit garden setting. In the living room, young people (including his girlfriend, Annett) are drinking beers and dancing and singing to the Cold War era protest song ‘99 Luftballoons’ that is later played in the West German barracks too. This scene reimagines the representation of the East beyond the operators of the restrictive state to the humanity, care and affection of everyday family and friends.
5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?
Martin’s first taste of western consumerism, in the supermarket scene is playfully underscored by the Eurythmics 1980’s pop song ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of This’ as Martin wonders at the volume and choice of products available in the West.
6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience?
Ultimately though, the fact that our protagonist is a communist who is being manipulated by his own side indicates that this text is appealing to a post-unification audience who are ready to challenge fixed Cold War versions of ‘reality’. A key theorist at A level is Jean Baudrillard with his ideas of ‘Simulacra’ – representations that depict things that have no original. We cannot know for certain how Eastern and Western Europeans behaved during this time – what we are seeing is only a reimagining and one that is influenced by the present. According to postmodern theorist Baudrillard, Simulacra reveal that there is no fixed, absolute truth; and Deutschland 83 certainly challenges our preconceptions of this period of history.
Postmodernism Factsheet
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
It talks about how advertising can make or break a company irrespective of the quality of the product they are selling, a poor quality product can be commercially successful if it has great advertising whilst an excellent product can fail without it.
2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
He argues that as mediaization increases so the culture finds itself losing a sense of historical context. History is now reduced to ‘talking heads’ documentaries and historical knowledge is often based on media representations.
He argues that as mediaization increases so the culture finds itself losing a sense of historical context. History is now reduced to ‘talking heads’ documentaries and historical knowledge is often based on media representations.
3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
The modern rise of celebrities launched through reality television programmes such as Big Brother can be seen as the culture celebrating style over substance. Many celebrities are now famous for being famous rather than for an identifiable talent or ability.
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
In postmodern culture, Andy Warhol created multi-coloured prints of the Campbell’s soup cans which was very popular. It was similarly shown in the supermarket scene where the shelves are filled with neatly and bright products. It is said to be 'Warholesque'.
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage refers to the process of adapting and juxtaposing old and new texts, images, ideas or narratives to produce whole new meanings.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
Meta-narratives (or grand narratives (Lyotard) literally meaning ‘big stories’) are the ideas and concepts that have been used to attempt to explain the way the world is and the way it should be. Human history is full of these grand narratives from religion to political/economic theories. Communism, Fascism, Liberalism and Socialism are some examples of grand narratives that have been applied in various contexts in the last 100 years. In postmodern society it is argued that people no longer believe there are absolute ways to explain reality.
7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
The main key scene that reinforces postmodernism is probably the supermarket scene where Martin is undercover in the West when he comes across a fully stocked, perfectly shelved aisle that referenced popular pop art, Andy Warhol, whilst also playing a song that was didn't exist during that time.
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