/ Leah Alexandrine Bonvin
Echoes of the East: Unearthing (Post)Socialist Heritage in Chemnitz' Garages
Leah Alexandrine Bonvin | Master Thesis , 2023
This thesis explores how post-socialist identity and cultural heritage are depicted in the German city of Chemnitz as it prepares to host the European Capital of Culture program (ECoC) in 2025. With a focus on the socialist garage complexes, this research reveals a more nuanced reality than the idealized portrayal of a magnified "Eastern State of Mind" characterized (according to Chemnitz2025) by a "maker mentality" and a strong sense of solidarity inherited from the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Utilizing ethnographic observations and theoretical frameworks rooted in the scholarship of the Global East, this research uncovers ruptures within the GDR garage culture, such as the loss of social connections and traditional garage functions, while also highlighting its strong resilience. Throughout the thesis, the concept of a "post" space-time regime emerges as a pivotal framework for understanding how individuals interact with urban environments and navigate shifts in values and remembrance through material heritage. By engaging with these themes, this thesis contributes to broader discussions on the logics of urban transformation, nostalgia and cultural memory, in post-socialist cities and beyond.