Reconstructing Education

<p> After the unification of Germany had first been greeted with euphoria on both sides of the Wall it did not take long for disillusion to set in when it became obvious that structures mentality values and outlook were very different in the Old and New Bundesländer. Moreover whereas during the initial phase the East Germans were hoping just for a reform of their existing systems they were soon disappointed and had to accept the fact that a fusion was out of the question; instead East German structures were expected to assimilate to those of West Germany which led to the accusation of the latter's colonization of East Germany.</p><p> The restructuring of the education system played a crucial role in the transformation of East Germany; consequently enormous sums were pumped into East German schools and the training of teachers. This is the first study in any language that closely examines the process re-education and addresses such vital questions as whether the reforms were educationally sound to what degree they meshed with local circumstances what measures were taken to fill the vacuum in moral and social values that was left by the discrediting of Marxism-Leninism and what happened to the notion of equality the key principle of a socialist society. Contrasting the old and the new regime in the East the author addresses these and many more critical issues. Numerous case studies and substantial interview material richly illustrate the author's arguments.</p>