Tim Mohr

I thought I knew the story of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, but this history of East German punk rock added a new dimension to my understanding of East German society in the 1980s. In some ways, the punks who emerged in East Germany were similar to those in the West - teenagers who felt as though they didn't fit into society, finding expression in a new form of music, and distinctive in their appearance. But, in East Germany being different wasn't tolerated and punks quickly became enemies of the state. This book is filled with fascinating details I hadn't encountered before - like that some people would show up to antigovernmental protests in hopes of being arrested and deported to the West - which merge with a story I know well. Overall, this is a book that changed how I view the fall of the Berlin Wall and the society which existed behind it for so many years - a society that at times felt eerily familiar. If you have an interest in Cold War history, this is definitely a good to pick up.… (mais)

This book was a treat for me. I was intrigued by the novel concept that punk culture contributed to the end of a divided Germany. This book delivered an exploration of various people involved with the East German punk scene, the ideologies they espoused, and the lasting artistic and social repercussions of their efforts. There were a lot of people flitting in and out of the overarching story, and at some points it was difficult to keep them straight, but as the narrative carried on and their roles in the resistance of the Stasi and the DDR were explained, it became easier to follow. The second half of the book was paced better than the first, and I do wish that it had delved a bit deeper into the grander political picture of the place and era, but I recognize that this book was about punks first and foremost, their ethos, their music, and their radical and democratic efforts to change their world. Prescient and important to read about. Mohr's tells a story of punks of the East German 80's reminds us that art matters, the youth can make a difference, and we can't "die in the waiting room of the future".… (mais)