Languages Spoken in East Germany (German Democratic Republic)
The German Democratic Republic (GDR), commonly known as East Germany, was a socialist state that existed from 1949 to 1990. As a part of the Eastern Bloc, East Germany experienced significant political, economic, and social changes during this period. These changes also influenced the languages spoken in the region.
Official Language: German
The official and primary language spoken in East Germany was German. Despite the division caused by the Cold War, East Germany retained German as its official language. However, a distinctive variation known as East German Standard German developed, influenced by the Soviet occupation and socialist ideology.
Other Languages
In addition to German, East Germany was a multilingual society with several other languages spoken in the country due to historical and regional influences, including the territories it encompassed.
Russian: As East Germany was under Soviet influence, Russian became increasingly prevalent. The government promoted the learning of Russian, and it was commonly taught in schools, particularly from the 1950s onwards. Russian was primarily used for official purposes, such as in government, military, and diplomatic communications.
Polish: Due to the post-World War II redrawing of borders, East Germany inherited a significant Polish-speaking population. While Polish was not an official language, it was widely spoken in eastern areas. Polish was also supported by cultural and educational institutions catering to the Polish minority community.
Czech: Similar to Polish, Czech was spoken in parts of East Germany due to historical connections and population migration. It was not an official language, but rather a regional language spoken by Czech minorities.
Sorbic Languages: The Sorbs, a West Slavic minority, have a long history in the region. Their languages, Upper Sorbian and Lower Sorbian, were spoken in parts of East Germany, primarily in the state of Saxony. The government recognized and supported Sorbian language and culture through education and cultural institutions.
Other languages: Due to the German Democratic Republic’s geographical position, there were also small communities of speakers of various languages, including French, English, and Vietnamese.
Language Changes after Reunification
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, the languages spoken in East Germany underwent significant changes. German became the dominant language, and the East German Standard German gradually merged with the Standard German spoken in West Germany. The usage of Russian, Polish, Czech, and Sorbian languages declined as their respective communities assimilated into the broader German society.
In conclusion, while German was the official language of the German Democratic Republic, other languages such as Russian, Polish, Czech, and Sorbian were also spoken due to historical, cultural, and regional factors. The reunification of Germany eventually led to linguistic changes, with German becoming the prevalent language in East Germany.