Deutschland 83, the Cold War and the export of German drama

Overview

Recall questions on the year and political situation, how Martin Rauch is recruited and held, the identity he takes in the West, and how consumerism is established.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   In what year and political situation is Deutschland 83 set?

   Model answer

   1983, at a dangerous late peak of the Cold War, with NATO preparing to station new missiles in West Germany.

2. 2

   Who is Martin Rauch, and how does he become a spy?

   Model answer

   A young East German border guard who is coerced by his aunt, an intelligence officer, into going undercover in the West.

3. 3

   What hold does the East German service have over Martin in Deutschland 83?

   Model answer

   His mother needs a kidney transplant, and access to the operation is used as leverage to make him cooperate.

4. 4

   Under what identity does Martin operate in the West in Deutschland 83?

   Model answer

   As Moritz Stamm, an aide to a senior West German army officer.

5. 5

   How does the supermarket scene establish Western consumerism in Deutschland 83?

   Model answer

   Martin is overwhelmed by shelves of choice and packaging that have no equivalent at home, so abundance is presented as bewildering rather than simply desirable.

6. 6

   How does Deutschland 83 use its pop soundtrack?

   Model answer

   Well-known 1980s songs date the action precisely, and their lyrics about nuclear fear and outer space provide an ironic commentary on the espionage plot.

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