"Das wahre Leben im falschen": Erscheinungsformen ostdeutscher Identit t in nach-wende-Texten

Beginning with a short review about the question of East-German identity, texts by Daniela Dahn, Thomas Rosenl cher and Hans-J. Misselwitz are analysed to show how history is recounted through stories. Despite the authors’ different biographical backgrounds and their varying literary styles, the three chosen texts have two things in common: the central positioning of an ‘East-We’ and the use of small literary forms – be it in the form of anecdote, joke, almanac story or by example – guarantees not only the preservation of individual and collective experiences, but their reproduction as well.