Research paper (school) from 2012 in the field of German Studies - Modern German Literature, grade: 10 points, language: German, abstract: The residents of the former GDR often have divided opinions about the conditions of that time. Some trivialize the influence of the party on everyday life, for example through the surveillance by the State Security, and the questionable democracy, while others demonize the circumstances. This is likely due to the individual memories of the reporting individuals. In contrast to this nuanced perspective, most West Germans often view the GDR solely as a state of injustice, as discussions frequently focus only on the seemingly arbitrary rule, thus completely overlooking the everyday lives of "normal" citizens, which could largely be compared to those in the Federal Republic of Germany.