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Journals / Alman Dili ve Edebiyatı Dergisi / 2026 / Issue: 51

The Collective Body as the Scene of the Power in the GDR Regime: a Study of Leibhaftig by Christa Wolf

Der Kollektivkörper als Schauplatz der Macht des DDR-Regimes in Leibhaftig von Christa Wolf

Merve Cihangir(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF LETTERS, DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE, DEPARTMENT OF GERMAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE)0000-0002-3472-2795
Pages
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Publication Date
2024-06-26
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Methodologically, this study adopts an eclectic research stance, drawing upon hermeneutics, sociology of literature, and psychology will be applied across the board within the framework of an eclectic research stance.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Leibhaftig (Wolf, 2002) portrays the personal and societal decay emblematic of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) society through the lens of a nameless sick individual.
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Key Findings & Data:This narrative illustrates not merely the illness of a single woman, but the affliction of an entire state organism.
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Conclusion & Impact:Methodologically, this study adopts an eclectic research stance, drawing upon hermeneutics, sociology of literature, and psychology will be applied across the board within the framework of an eclectic research stance.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2002 Verileri
⚙️Variables:illness · Christa Wolf · GDR regime

Abstract

Leibhaftig (Wolf, 2002) portrays the personal and societal decay emblematic of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) society through the lens of a nameless sick individual. This narrative illustrates not merely the illness of a single woman, but the affliction of an entire state organism. Amidst numerous surgeries, the protagonist experiences fever-induced recollections and hallucinations, often imbued with political undertones during her hospitalization. The study explores the hypothesis that illness in Christa Wolf’s work is not merely metaphorical but manifests as a psychosomatic consequence of repressed emotions. The protagonist’s body symbolizes the collective deterioration of the GDR, serving as a metaphor for the damage inflicted by the East German repressive regime while also serving as a metaphor for the damage inflicted by the regime while also functioning as a locus of surveillance and power. Through the protagonist’s struggle against an intestinal rupture, Wolf illustrates the physical and emotional toll of living under East German surveillance. Consequently, this study sets aims to address the significance of the body metaphor in relation to state surveillance. Methodologically, this study adopts an eclectic research stance, drawing upon hermeneutics, sociology of literature, and psychology will be applied across the board within the framework of an eclectic research stance.

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Cite This Article

Cihangir, M. (2024). The Collective Body as the Scene of the Power in the GDR Regime: a Study of Leibhaftig by Christa Wolf. Alman Dili ve Edebiyatı Dergisi, Issue: 51. https://doi.org/10.26650/sdsl2023-1351918

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