Politics Of East Germany Puns

I would like to open a topic about the inhabitants of East Germany (former GDR state). In my first comment, I will present my opinion based on experience and conversations with residents of East Germany, with Germans abroad, and with foreigners in East Germany.

What I have noticed is that the people of East Germany are not hiding their past. The flag of the former GDR can often be seen at matches. With this flag, they are proud to highlight their East German geographical indication today. It is a kind of local patriotism. But the East Germans are still angry that they did not have a position like their compatriots from West Germany. They are angry that they had to be under communism, a totalitarian, strict regime, that they did not have everything that the Germans had in West Germany. We know very well how brutal communism was and that guards would kill people even if they just got close to the wall. Communism is a very simple system and the basic needs of man are met, even if they meet only the minimum requirements. On the other hand, capitalism as it was in West Germany, as it is in other countries, requires constant struggle, competition, innovation, progress. The system is quite turbulent and sharper, if we focus on the economic side. I would say that communism rewards mediocrity, and capitalism only the best of the best. When unification took place, the people of East Germany were left to compete with their compatriots from West Germany. It was a very sudden transition and people didn't really cope with these changes because they didn't have time to learn or get to know the new system, so the "competitors" from West Germany overtook them. And here again it happened that the East Germans were brought into a worse position. In return, West Germany set aside money for East Germany. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that money is still being set aside for East Germany today and that the granting of aid should stop soon. Even today, people from East Germany wonder where they were better off; in communism in which they met their basic needs but with an imposed regime that they did not like, or today in capitalism which they aspired to but did not want to accept changes so abruptly and again found themselves in a worse position. From my contacts, I learned that opinions were divided.

People from East Germany have a strong need to build friendship, compassion, solidarity with each other. I will not say that people from West Germany do not have such virt

So for example I'm wondering did the KPD also promote them as martyrs? Were Luxemburg's writings on the USSR conveniently glossed over? Did strong feelings about their death make themselves felt outside Germany?

I read once that East Germany was valuable to Soviet Russia for, among other reasons, its role as a bridgehead in central Europe, and that this helped hold the Soviet satellite states together. I understand the value of a bridgehead, I'm just not sure how it would hold everyone else together. Is it purely because it allows for easier troop deployment throhgh central Europe? Or is there an economic feature I'm missing?

Thanks!

Were most soldiers of the NVA genuine pro-USSR communists or did they just feel like they "had to" serve bc of conscription and were not huge fans of the regime? I understand of couse there would be a difference between your average grunt and an officer. Also, how big was indoctrination in the NVA?

Germany has quite a big Antifa presence. However, what do they think of the DDR? Do they glorify the DDR and look at it fondly? Or do they dislike the DDR and see it as a state of oppression and not real socialism? Do they even acknowledge the Berlin wall, lack of freedom, lower living standards, the Stasi etc?