As a history teacher who lived in Germany, I could listen to this man for weeks. I try to explain to my students that every person / country has different perspectives on historic events. This gentleman gives a glimpse into his life and I appreciate him for that. He is truly a blessing
@Garrison Nichols I feel it is a horrible atrocity just as the many other massacres that have happened throughout history. I try to help my students analyze all the perspectives that lead into such events in the hopes that in the future they have courage to stand up against such things from a knowledgeable foundation.
As a history teacher if you’d like a reality check from a German who had family trapped in east Germany until the fall of the wall in 89 let me know. I’d be more than happy to enlighten you from this ignorant old mans fantasy land
@@mikeharvey2129 My opinion The very first choice he made to support that government and theology makes him an idiot. If you don’t agree that your choice, I don’t care
As a romanian I agree with what he said about the communist countries. Even here in Romania people had an utopian idea about the West and USA. They didnt understand what capitalism is and they failed to appreciate their own achivements.Sadly the people failed to understand that capitalism comes with unemployment and everything has a price in life.
Here in Mexico there is the same problem. It was never socialist in the first place, so, I find it naturally interesting in how the propaganda develops into the influx of migrants to 'feed the beast'. Our struggle here, therefore is to let people gain knowledge in more complex topics before the revolution, as it would not work for a long time without that first step.
Quick question, as you are a Romanian: Do you live better now, or then? (I will not come back soon here, so I will say this: you were in the worst living condition in Europe. "everything has a price in life" - The Communism have the worst price)
@@cristic767 Its a complex question. There were pros and cons. On one hand it was safety, you had a job and everybody had the same things and the state took care of you. It is true that the political activists or from secret services had some western things but it was not a rule because they had to be careful not to be labeled western spies. On the other hand the people were brainwashed and even if they didnt believe in the communist propaganda about the victory of communism ,their knowledge of the world was limited and they werent ready for the world after the fall of communism. Now the people are angry because the only ones that benefited from the fall of communism were some people from nomenklatura and from secret services that divided among themselves the riches of Romania. Sadly the people didnt know how to respond to this new reality because they were taught to obey the state. And they did ,even if the state wasnt communist anymore. 🙁
Fascinating recollections and insights…. The best part? “under communism, one never criticized the government, but they could badmouth their bosses all they wanted, as employment was guaranteed; after capitalism was restored, it was the opposite.”
The huge difference is you can quit your job anytime you like and go get another. Try that in a country where you can't just change your government, or quit your job either. Both those things would land you in a "third world" quality prison... along with your family members.
@heath gallagher you made the mistake of being overly specific. My reply was to the OP comparing communism to capitalism, not East Germany specifically, as you are implying. Try that in the old USSR or China. Not gonna end well for the “slacker”.
@@joogabah they did in communist North Korea. You missed the point of the OP’s argument to which I was replying. You mistakenly thought I was speaking to the DDR specifically. I was not.
“Had to sign a statement saying you have never been in any left-wing organization... had to report to police as a foreign agent” So much for freedom of thought, freedom to assemble and democracy. Didn’t another country do the same thing from 1931-1945?
@Garrison Nichols Jesus you're dense firstly even goddamn Hitler himself said he had nothing to do with ML socialism. Secondly the term "privatization" was coined to describe Hitler's reign today privatization is used to describe whether or not a country is capitalist or socialist. And thirdly the first people Hitler hunted down and killed where not those with mental or physical disabilities or the Jewish but SOCIALISTS so if Hitler was a socialist why on gods green earth did he kill all the socialists? And fourthly name a single policy that both Hitler and a socialist country shared. Also you're an idiot for even typing that comment in the first place.
@Garrison Nichols do you have proof to back that claim. Because I have proof it was an actually functioning society which kept its people fed, housed, working, and healthy name one society that has done the same. I'll wait.
I find this man quite interesting and honest. He is quite positive about the GDR, but unlike other folks his age who have Ostalgie actually isn't afraid to point out the shortcomings and totalitarian aspects of the regime of East Germany and how he regrets that those things happened like the lack of freedom of press or the fact the country was a one party state that didn't allow other ideas or even the Stasi. He gives a quite balanced view of the GDR. The good aspects of life there, and the negative aspects of life in the country.
I love that even while Pro-GDR, he is willing to admit the cons, flaws, and limitations of the country. Something I feel most Pro-Communist memes and infographics fail to hit or just blame cons and flaws entirely on limitations. Also a big part of why I can't really connect with most online Communism groups I come across any more. They all seem to be fascist "all Communism is the best no matter what" groups, and will chastise anyone with constructive criticism on past or present failures.
Do you think countries like Denmark and Norway would be about the closest to the ideal? I know nowhere is perfect, but they seem to strike a pretty happy balance with the Nordic Model.
@@jameswalker68 They're definitely the best I've found. If I could afford the cost to relocate and job hunt for a work permit in Sweden, I would. Although Germany was talking about launching a "New Green Card Program" around New Years. I figure if I find an opportunity to spring on that, I will. And if I complete it and gain German citizenship, ask myself whether I just want to stay or take my newfound EU right to work to Sweden. Unfortunately I haven't heard any word on any progress since.
@@nikdog419 Wishing u the best of luck with that Nik 🙂 Where are u living at the moment? Australia is home for me. We aren’t too bad - but Denmark is still my utopia! Lol Would Australia be an option for you? We are a long way away though! 😂
@@jameswalker68 I'm in California. The general consensus I get from looking in from the outside, is that Australians are a very progressive, "real" (no beating around the bush) people. Strong car culture, strong 419 culture, and a sense of humour only some Americans have. It's also on the half of the earth with the cleaner air. (Southern Hemisphere) I can't say I know anything about your weather, but I assume it's mostly on the warm/hot end of the spectrum. 🤮 I'm a cold weather person. I complain that California is too hot year round. When it's winter, we have what our summer temperatures should be. When it's summer, it's christian hell on earth. My grandparents have told me I have the same opinion of the weather here as my German great-grandfather. Interviewer: "February? It must've been cold." GG: "No it wasn't cold. It was hotter than hell." Interviewer: "In summer it's hotter than hell, in winter it's cold." GG: "No, no, no. It was never very cold." Anyways, I've never been to Australia, definitely want to go visit, not sure if I'd want to live there. My sister wants to go live there. But she has no real reason to other than she likes Bluey. I try to get her to watch any of the other Australian TV shows I watch, or even just consume more Australian media. No luck, I'll just leave her to her own dreams. I have been to 3 of the 5 Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, and Finland). I didn't want to leave Sweden when it was time to go. I seriously contemplated renting a cheap AirBnB for a month, and looking everywhere for work. But I knew if it came down to it I couldn't afford both the month stay and a flight home. I wasn't sure what would happen if I was there and ran out of money, stay, and food. Do I get deported? How does that work? Does the government pay to fly me home? Would I have just been able to use whatever homeless government services they have? Would I have had access to food for the needy? It was something that needed a lot of time to research, but only had 2-4 hours.
Can’t believe how compelling it was to just watch one guy talking for 43 minutes. A necessary counterweight to the narrative I’m used to hearing. And what a brilliant mind!
At the time of this interview, he was 91 years old! He is such a great speaker and definitely has a charm that feels scarce nowadays. While I don’t wish to romanticize East Germany, I can see that this man has lived a happy life for himself. Glad to have found this video
This Is a great interview. GDR was a very developed socialist country, obviously with some problems that we should see in a critical way for the future. Greetings from Italy comrades!
East germany hide there economic problem.when the wall finally come down it was discover there foreign debt stood at 36 billion $debt.has east germany survive beyond 1989 they could have end up like poland.
@@richardque4952 of course It was not a perfect country. We have to remember that after the Stalin period USSR and the socialist block in Europe changed their socialist path and started to create market economy beside planned economy. This caused so many problems in this countries, including a widespread black market growing stronger through the years
Indeed the listener does not get the impression that Mr.Grossman is feeling obliged to a certain political confession. He tells everything from the position of some private man who wants the best for his human fellows. He is politically impartial but humane to a high degree.
I am fortunate & blessed with the opportunity to visit East Germany in 1986 & 1989 before the wall came down. I was in Dresden, Halle & Leipzig. It was very difficult to get in & out those days, our car was nearly turned upside down for routine checks. I sat in a Trabant ( known as a card board boxcar), queued for food, bought Meissen Porcelain, wooden windmill pyramids, cuckoo clock, etc Those days were really tough for East Germany, no fresh fruits, meat, good coffee powder, even toilet paper, but I had great fond memories.
It was not that bad to be honest. I had the pleasure of visiting too. mine was early 80s visit But it was not a bad life, Free education, free health care system, very very cheap next to nothing rents, free child care. People ate good food and fruits if were lucky like apples, oranges would come out once year which was a treat. Above all, it was the safest city in the world. Oh the East German people were friendly and no racists people what so ever. I miss those days in DDR (GDR)
@@spidyman8853все отмечают хороший климат в отношениях людей и отсутствие потребительских привычек в социализме. Как говорил Ленин-при капитализме все становится непременно продажным, любовь, дружба, отношения... Что мы видим сегодня?
This was fascinating. I served in the British Army in West Germany during the 1970s, and was always intrigued by life in the East. I later, through friends who lived in West Berlin, was able to visit firstly East Berlin, and later the DDR beyond. I wasn't really able to form any strong opinions, but what this gentleman has to say, adds greatly to my limited knowledge.
I grew up in an Eastern country and guy is just regurgitating Stalinist propaganda! I have lived in the US since 1994 and there is no comparison! Lifer in the US is much better and most importantly there are freedoms like freedom of expression.
This is fantastic. For a long time now I have thought a wall of western lies had surrounded East Germany. Now I know the GDR was a much much better than it was made out to be in the west. At last hope for a positive future for humanity has returned.
do you know what tankie means? it comes from British communists used against Soviets for intervention in Hungarian revolution which was co-opted by fascists, at first it was a genuine revolution, students and workers out protesting, for a better socialism that could fit Hungary, that was what they wanted, the fascists spurred on by Radio Free Europe propaganda and hardliners of the church, went around the streets beating and murdering anyone they THOUGHT was a socialist or communist, and they'd hang you, where ever they could, literally where ever they could, there are photos of it, people hanging from lamp posts, awnings, streets signs, buildings, all for being SUSPECTED socialists or communists, the Red army used tanks to bring peace back to the streets, you can find photos of Soviet tankers helping civilians up onto the vehicle to be protected and rescued from the fascists, British communists at the time, it being late 1900s and little actual communication back and forth thought that this was the Red army stamping out a real Hungarian revolution, it was in fact them SAVING the Hungarians from having an attempted revolution overtaken and their nation brought to fascism, were they perfect? fuck no no one was is or ever will be, but fuck out of here acting like saving protestors from fascists could be bad, proud fuckin tankie.@@Rainaman-
@R Williams Plenty of things, "I believed that I did the right thing at the time but during the past 30 years after the break up my opinion has changed" "THE DDR DID NOTHING WRONG" "THE DDR DID NOTHING RIGHT" "I don't even fucking care I just like collecting trabbies" Humans are complicated creatures, whose opinions change over time.
In the United States we are so propagandized it's disgusting. We have become a laughing stock of the world, everyone now sees the USA as the hellhole it truly is. Money for the wealthy and bombs but nothing for the working poor.
@@bodyloverz30 Cuba is nice indeed! Has better life expectatency than the US, even whilst struggling against an illegal trade Embargo since over 70 years! But to answer your accusation, most of us don't want life to be better only for us, but for everyone :)
Man, its always amazing to learn from old people. Whenever I get chance to talk with any old chap who has been around ww 2 (here in India), i ask them ton of question on British policy and soviet influence post Indian independence.
A very good and comprehensive interview. If the DDR still existed I'd have emigrated. I'd rather have a low salary but have a flat with child care, and health benefits, seasonal goods versus can't afford to get on the housing ladder, zero hour contracts, medical insurance, no free dental, with this payment and that payment. I haven't seen my quality of life improve despite what I've paid in taxes, it's got worse
Actually it was way better in the old days. Atleast for us living in East germany... basicly we earn like a little more than in DDR times, but the prices have gone up Western level, so pretty high. But with the low money we earned in DDR, with also low prices then, we couldve got much more than nowadays. Now im speaking from my parents perspective, but pretty much everybody says that theyd love to live in ddr again
Thank you so much for this video. This is what i need to know about East Germany. Direct source from a person that REALLY lives in East Germany. Not those who claimed themselves to live in East Germany
What a great man, it was so interesting to hear him describe the differences between the west and living in East Germany. So good to hear an ordinary man's view. When I say ordinary, I mean not a politician pushing his view, he is in fact and extraordinary man with a great story. Thank you, Mr Grossman.
i lived in Germany for 2 years and the lady i lived with she told the people in the east had everything they needed but they wanted the top class products from the west like Jeans and music centres.
Amazing Video! Thanks for the upload. He is not just an interesting, but also very intelligent and honest man, i enjoy listening to him. therer are many things about the DDR people get wrong, in todays germany as well as other western countries. Genosse Grossman I hope you are doing well today, I would love to know what he thinks about post-socialist germany and the world today, maybe theres a chance to interview him again someday.
No issues with the Stasi? Well they couldn't escape😂 Yes West Germany was a dream, I lived there. East Germany was incorporated into the Marshall Plan, Stalin said no.
I find it interesting that when discussing the Stasi he mentions that the FBI conducted the same activities, and earlier. When you hear about the GDR in the west it's always about 1 of 2 things, the wall and the Stasi. When discussing the Stasi you often hear about Zersetzung and it was always interesting to me that by the time the Stasi began to systematically implement any of those methods, the intelligence agencies in the USA had already pioneered and mastered the craft at least a decade before.
Perhaps that is because the FBI did not have a spy per 180 inhabitants, or perhaps because the US was a democracy. That is when you have elections and can choose who is in power, unlike GDR where you could not move these assholes and incompetents out of the way by any means. Dictatorship founded on persecution and fear - GDR. Ans yes, I checked and the US was not exactly that, now, was it.
The United States has one of the most advanced surveillance networks - even all the way back to the 1950s. There are leaks all the time exposing the scale of US surveillance but it seems Americans just shrug it off for some reason.
What an excellent interview. It should have more views. I've been trying to learn the history of countries within the ussr and how they actually functioned, since here in the US, history class in high school literally stops after the bombing of japan. This man explained everything that's going on in the world spot on.
Your comment is a year older, but wow, I’m shocked that you actually bought this guys BS story. If you’d like to know the actual truth about Communist Germany from family that lives through it let me know I’d be more than happy to explain the reality of it not this piece of crap old mans lies, who by the wat was a Stasi informant in his city and condemned many people to death
Read these books! ; Stasi State or Socialist Paradise?: The German Democratic Republic and What Became of It, Kill Anything That Moves, Cry Korea, Killing Hope, Stalin: History and Critique of A Black Legend, Soviet Democracy, The Day the World Stopped Turning, Blackshirts and Reds
@@lhaviland8602 Well I sure as hell didn't. Not everybody gets the same education in the USA. If you live in the city your studies are typically incredibly out-of-date with hand-me-down books from a generation or two ago. No worries if you're a wealthy white family though!
Victor Grossman was spot on about life in East Berlin DDR (GDR) It was not a bad life, free education, free healthcare system, very very cheap rents, free child care. Yep, it was not bad at all. And, it was a pleasure visiting East Berlin in the early 80s as it was getting better and better.
Are you on drugs? Have you ever talked to people who actually lived through that crap? You didn’t have a choice on where you worked or what school and degree you pursued IF they let you go to higher education. Want to just stay at home and be a house wife? Nope, off to work for everyone. Don’t want to work? Ok, we have special camp to help you learn how to enjoy work. Socialism is nothing more than theft and imprisonment of an entire country. Socialists lie constantly to get people to believe them and the biggest reason why the US had a large military was because socialists have one goal in mind and that’s to take over the entire planet under their rule. We managed to beat them open;y but they moved into western countries and slowly subverted them by indoctrination of our kids so after 40-50 years, those brainwashed kids are begging for the government to take away their rights we fought for centuries ago. So in all, you deserve everything you hope for.
West Germany did pay war reparations to western nations. The occupation zones of Germany used the "first charge principle", meaning that each power was free to exact whatever war reparations it deemed valid and just. The east paid to the Soviet Union, because it extracted from its own zone at will. As for Poland, it was compensated, primarily from German land being transferred to it. The land that it lost in its east was territory that it had acquired from the USSR in 1920 in a border war.
It may be worth observing that the destruction that had been inflicted on the Soviet Union also happened to be far greater than anything that had befallen the Western countries.
@@jeremynv89523 That's because Stalin and the Soviets and their lackeys in power in the Eastern bloc refused to participate in the Marshall Plan. The Soviets/eastern European/East Germany's own leadership cynically starved their people of the help on purpose. Pretty hard to feel sorry for idiot people who screwed themselves on purpose.
@@jeremynv89523 The DDR WAS offered help by the Marshall Plan, as were the other Eastern European countries. The Soviet Union ordered them all to refuse the help offered.
Life in the DDR was indeed better than in any other communist land. However, the East Germans did not compare themselves to the Bulgarians or the Mongolians or the Soviets. They compared themselves with their West German relatives, visitors, and what they saw on West German TV. East German youth could hear the Beatles and Elvis Presley and rock and roll, and they liked it. The basics like housing and bread were subsidized, but the nice shiny attractive and fashionable stuff was only available through Intershops, hard currency stores run by the government. This was greatly resented. Really, the traditional and stuffy party line had no chance against Elvis, John, Ringo, George, and Paul.
@@Dutch_Uncle The communist line is flourishing here in the United States of Soviet America (USSA), where the DNC cabal aspires to become the sole legal party and exercises rule by decree. LGBFJB!
Joe North Korea is pretty much a monarchy pretending to be communist. China is essentially capitalist. And Cuba has one of the best most cutting edge healthcare systems in the world. Cuba is not that bad
Joe First, yes North Korea sucks, but it clearly is not communist... communism is not hereditary monarchy with a personality cult. Second, no one advocates for communism to be “edgy”, they are tired of working for some tyrant-boss at a low wage job with no health care or benefits. They’re tired of a few wealthy tyrants hoarding all the wealth and dictating to the rest of us what little scraps those wealthy allow us to have as they ration out things like medical care education and housing., things being produced in abundance. Third, there is no such thing as “lazy”. Google it. Fourth, look at the fact that a majority of refugees and migrants are fleeing capitalist economies where they’ve been treated like animals and ground into the dirt by greedy corrupt capitalists exploiting them so westerners can eat cheap bananas every morning. Do yourself a learning exercise and list all capitalist economies that are failed states and then list the ones LABELED communist, look at the longer list. It boggles MY mind that defenders of capitalism are blind to all its failures to a fault and live in a state of denial and confirmation bias. The western capitalist world, rich from centuries of imposing brutal slavery on millions for profit, exterminating indigenous people and inflicting imperialism on poorer countries, which all culminated in fascist regimes conducting genocide and a second world war... but you’re going to ignore all those facts and call people stupid because their eyes are opened to the horrors of the system they, like you, were indoctrinated to believe in despite what basic observations can tell you about the failures of that system. Now I have to go figure out how to pay for medical treatment I need but can’t afford, beg some rich guy for a CHANCE at a job I’m overqualified for that won’t even offer insurance, work that job till the point of exhaustion and hope that I won’t be ended by uniforms at a traffic stop. Living the capitalist dream! Read more.
@@ineptpacific3974 Its not that you had no chance of winning its that he won't accept defeat and will ignore all the arguments, and still act like he won.
Half of my relatives used to live in DDR,near East Berlin..so we knew what and how it was there... For me in person that was never the way...ideology, Stasi all over, DDR walled in...etc But anybody shall make his way ☝️😎
"Stasi all over". It's significant that you just blatantly ignored his point. Not only did the FBI do it all before the Stasi, Western surveillance and repression was far greater in extent, and it's only slowly becoming visible to us. For instance, literally every left wing movement in the UK was directly infiltrated by under cover police officers. This became such a farce that in the 1980s, one police officer voted along with one other member of a small Communist org to yet again "split into a smaller party", forming what became a party of only 2 people. Which is notable among political centrists in the West there is a meme about factionalism among the left. And in police handbooks there is instructions to do precisely this..... But the mainstream opinion is that the left does it to themselves.
And before you say "but you said the repression was more extreme". The West killed at least 10 million in warfare against left wing forces during the Cold War. More than likely in excess of 20 million. From Vietnam, to Angola, to Chile, to Greece. Directly shot and killed and kidnapped and tortured and massacred. Not some fake academic study which shows that malnutrition was high in China during the US naval blockade and therefore Mao was a monster. The numbers that died indirectly from Western repression if you used the same loose rules of anti-communist propagandists are probably heading towards the billions now that we're sailing past 1.5c of global warming. The already dead ... the number one cause of death among children in India is malnutrition. All those famines Africa is so famous for are due to colonialism & capitalism. Churchill starved millions to death in India deliberately. Unlike the collosal mistakes made in the 1930s USSR, which were internally fiercely denounced by everyone.
@@briandelaney9710but he’s right though, a lot of y’all talk about “millions dead” under communism but never keep that same energy for colonialism, Americans/Europeans initiating war with third world countries, and businesses robbing resources while starving people of basic necessities because of profit. When last have you talked about those?
Thank you Victor for an intelligent in sight in to the DDR, I have always thought it was not as bad as depicted and struggled to compete with the BRD. I travelled in the DDR and given more time I think it could have turned the country into a peoples paradise.
You are sorely deluded stuka, they murdered and imprisoned thousands of their own people for years. I lived a few miles from the East German border and people were regularly risking their lives to cross minefields, electric fences and a wide river just to get away. Oh and they were also shot at. It took years to get a phone, car. Food shortages were common, people went hungry. This man was treated well because he was a defector and a traitor. Still, his life is interesting and worth reading about. Dont forget that the wall was put up to stop people accessing the west where consumer goods were plentiful, food was readily obtainable. Free education, healthcare....hmm something we have had in the western european nations for many years. (except the USA which is shameful). And all supported and by your local friendly secret police. Im sure that the tens of thousands who vanished into gulags and re-education centres do not share his views, freedom of movement and expression was non existent. Does not sound like paradise to me.
@@simonbaker6962 I didnt say it WAS a Paradise, I said given time it could have become a paradise ! without Soviet constraints the East Germans would have developed a fair workers state and given communism a human face. Alas that didnt suit the U.S. Although Mrs Thatcher was all for it ! She liked the idea of 2 Germany's , but lacked the Political and Financial power to implement it.
@@unclestuka8543 Hey, dipshit? Apparently it hasn't crossed your feeble mind that a dream that features the STASI and shoot-to-kill zones isn't a dream, but a nightmare. Wake the fnck up, already.
While his experiences are interesting, he notes that the East German government was repressive (to its own citizens), because large companies in West Germany were angry at being forced out of East Germany. The repression of one has nothing to do with the anger of the other. Also, the extent to which the Stasi spied on its own citizens is unrivalled by any country in the west. Here petty individuals spy on each other to incompetent managers.
No, he said they were being repressive because they became paranoid over the West's periodic attempts at disrupting and destroying the GDR. Not to say that their methods were correct, but also understandable given the fact that the West *was* attempting to destroy the GDR and eventually succeeded.
The Stasi was 90,000 people it was big per capita. The USA has 800,000 full time police officers, plus a multitude of other police on every level like FBI, DHS, DEA, state, federal, CIA etc. and the largest prison population in the history of the world. In other words both were/are police states. The weirder more insidious issue with the STASI was one in five citizens agreed to be secret informants for the STASI. So that meant possibly your wife, your brother, your best friend, your mother or father or son etc.
@@matthewkopp2391 ! out of every 63 East Germans corroborated with the Stasi 173,081 Informants not to mention the other 91,015 Stasi employees , and yes without question one of those informants could be your wife your husband your sister .. all in 41,828 square miles which is about the size of the state of Tennessee
I like this guy a lot. I’m not in to socialism or communism or leftist ideas at all, but I’m open to hearing them out. No system is perfect and it’s not a reason to hate people. This was super interesting and thank you for getting this gentleman’s perspective.
@@mikeharvey2129 I am a mongolian, lived as well in GDR, in both countries it was really peaceful and secure. Maybe not everyone had a car or a big house but more happy in life for sure
It appears the DDR nearly made socialism work. What he doesn't mention is the enormous burden the Staatssicherheitsdienst was on the East German economy, to the point where it just wasn't sustainable
It was work-ing. Socialism is a struggle to build the Communist project, it's not a definitive thing that works or doesn't. It's a constant struggle towards something greater.
I disagree with this guy on nearly everything, but he seems clear and honest. Unlike most people who never admit to any flaws or problems with their preferred side and never any positives with their adversaries, he's straightforward and generally acknowledges facts regardless of their implications.
A very intelligent soul. he gave me a better understanding of good socialist country , as a Canadian and strong capitalist has given me food for deep concideration
at the end of its existance the GDR catcheed up with western Technology and even made microprocessor western germany didn't make but imported from japan nad the US
@6:25 Also for consideration are the war reparation's, which saw the allied zones of occupation stripped of heavy industries, including the Soviet eastern zone. This was something which the less industrialized east (DDR) could not make up for as easily as the west (FRG), and may help explain the disparity in industrial output in their post-war economies.
I believe that was a huge mistake by Stalin, however it's easy to criticize in retrospect. The Soviet economy was ruined by the war and needed to be rebuilt completely. But I suspect that had the Soviets tried to rebuild the eastern bloc economically the way the west did through the marshall plan perhaps the communist governments would have survived.
@@gregmunn2945 I completely agree. But that being said, the USSR was in dire need of industrial equipment, so I guess it wasn't hard for the populace of the Soviet Union, who had endured so much during the Great Patriotic War, to justify. That being said, it certainly contributed to the air of mistrust between the Warsaw Pact nations and Moscow. Not that the Suez Crisis in '56 left any doubt that the Western power's had similar misgivings about one another.
I could listen to this man speak all day! I'm saving this video to show my students! I wish I could interview him. Thank you for this amazing resource, this living history! ❤❤❤
This was a remarkable interview and wealth of information. I really wonder, was there anything at all that could have turned things around in the GDR? Or at least prevented it from collapsing?
" I Had to sign a statement saying you have never been in any left-wing organization... or you had to report to police as a foreign agent" hmm I love freedom
Where can I find that iconic picture of Marx, Engels, and Lenin on the front of the apartment building on Karl Marx Allee? I want to try and get that printed and framed in my bedroom hahaha
What is never said is he probably received better housing and food access from the outset because his defection was a great propaganda tool. He was treated differently than the general East German.
He was recruited by the Stasi as an informant , and yes he was a propaganda tool ... and most defiantly was treated different .. what I dont get is that the United States dropped the charges on him for defecting
I love how whenever capitalists hear something they don't like,they start bringing excuses like "he's brainwashed" or "he is treated differently because [random yee yee ass reason they can find]". It's honestly funny
Id like to think that most of what was said is true. However I do feel that him being a US citizen at birth may have earned him special treatment… Im not going to dispute what was said as everyone has a different view of the world and is entitled to their opinion. But what I always keep in mind when thinking of the DDR or the Soviet bloc in general is when you need to build a wall to keep your own people in, something cant be right.😁
![🔴 ฟุตบอลแชมป์กีฬา 7HD แชมเปียน คัพ 2024 [รอบรองชนะเลิศ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zPm8ClLVhoE/mqdefault.jpg)
As a history teacher who lived in Germany, I could listen to this man for weeks. I try to explain to my students that every person / country has different perspectives on historic events. This gentleman gives a glimpse into his life and I appreciate him for that. He is truly a blessing
@Garrison Nichols I feel it is a horrible atrocity just as the many other massacres that have happened throughout history. I try to help my students analyze all the perspectives that lead into such events in the hopes that in the future they have courage to stand up against such things from a knowledgeable foundation.
As a history teacher if you’d like a reality check from a German who had family trapped in east Germany until the fall of the wall in 89 let me know. I’d be more than happy to enlighten you from this ignorant old mans fantasy land
@@fortisfortunaadiuvat9262 What is he ignorant about? I'm interested.
@@mikeharvey2129
My opinion
The very first choice he made to support that government and theology makes him an idiot. If you don’t agree that your choice, I don’t care
@@fortisfortunaadiuvat9262 Aren't you taking it a bit far by calling him an idiot?
As a romanian I agree with what he said about the communist countries. Even here in Romania people had an utopian idea about the West and USA. They didnt understand what capitalism is and they failed to appreciate their own achivements.Sadly the people failed to understand that capitalism comes with unemployment and everything has a price in life.
lol
Roflmao, even.
Here in Mexico there is the same problem. It was never socialist in the first place, so, I find it naturally interesting in how the propaganda develops into the influx of migrants to 'feed the beast'. Our struggle here, therefore is to let people gain knowledge in more complex topics before the revolution, as it would not work for a long time without that first step.
Quick question, as you are a Romanian: Do you live better now, or then?
(I will not come back soon here, so I will say this: you were in the worst living condition in Europe. "everything has a price in life" - The Communism have the worst price)
@@cristic767 Its a complex question. There were pros and cons. On one hand it was safety, you had a job and everybody had the same things and the state took care of you. It is true that the political activists or from secret services had some western things but it was not a rule because they had to be careful not to be labeled western spies.
On the other hand the people were brainwashed and even if they didnt believe in the communist propaganda about the victory of communism ,their knowledge of the world was limited and they werent ready for the world after the fall of communism.
Now the people are angry because the only ones that benefited from the fall of communism were some people from nomenklatura and from secret services that divided among themselves the riches of Romania. Sadly the people didnt know how to respond to this new reality because they were taught to obey the state. And they did ,even if the state wasnt communist anymore. 🙁
This guy is still sharp as a tack at his age. Glad he found peace and happiness there instead of going to a military prison for some BS.
He wouldn't have gone to prison. He would have gotten an Other Than Honorable discharge, and been sent home.
He's been dead for years,
@@zelphx he’s still alive
He was a Stasi informant. You can google it how many people he reported. He was a piece of crap
@@fortisfortunaadiuvat9262 Nothing wrong with that
Fascinating recollections and insights…. The best part? “under communism, one never criticized the government, but they could badmouth their bosses all they wanted, as employment was guaranteed; after capitalism was restored, it was the opposite.”
The huge difference is you can quit your job anytime you like and go get another. Try that in a country where you can't just change your government, or quit your job either. Both those things would land you in a "third world" quality prison... along with your family members.
@@jeffreyramey1585 So they couldn't get another job in East Germany?
@@jeffreyramey1585 You're just talking out of your ass. I'm sure they ate their own babies too.
@heath gallagher you made the mistake of being overly specific. My reply was to the OP comparing communism to capitalism, not East Germany specifically, as you are implying. Try that in the old USSR or China. Not gonna end well for the “slacker”.
@@joogabah they did in communist North Korea. You missed the point of the OP’s argument to which I was replying. You mistakenly thought I was speaking to the DDR specifically. I was not.
This was immensely interesting to watch!
“Had to sign a statement saying you have never been in any left-wing organization... had to report to police as a foreign agent” So much for freedom of thought, freedom to assemble and democracy. Didn’t another country do the same thing from 1931-1945?
A wise man once said "It Is better to remain silent and to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt"
@Garrison Nichols ... the Nazis were Nazis you goon the best thing the USSR ever did was punish the Nazis.
@Garrison Nichols Jesus you're dense firstly even goddamn Hitler himself said he had nothing to do with ML socialism. Secondly the term "privatization" was coined to describe Hitler's reign today privatization is used to describe whether or not a country is capitalist or socialist. And thirdly the first people Hitler hunted down and killed where not those with mental or physical disabilities or the Jewish but SOCIALISTS so if Hitler was a socialist why on gods green earth did he kill all the socialists? And fourthly name a single policy that both Hitler and a socialist country shared. Also you're an idiot for even typing that comment in the first place.
@Garrison Nichols how is it utopia?
@Garrison Nichols do you have proof to back that claim. Because I have proof it was an actually functioning society which kept its people fed, housed, working, and healthy name one society that has done the same. I'll wait.
I find this man quite interesting and honest. He is quite positive about the GDR, but unlike other folks his age who have Ostalgie actually isn't afraid to point out the shortcomings and totalitarian aspects of the regime of East Germany and how he regrets that those things happened like the lack of freedom of press or the fact the country was a one party state that didn't allow other ideas or even the Stasi. He gives a quite balanced view of the GDR. The good aspects of life there, and the negative aspects of life in the country.
I love that even while Pro-GDR, he is willing to admit the cons, flaws, and limitations of the country. Something I feel most Pro-Communist memes and infographics fail to hit or just blame cons and flaws entirely on limitations. Also a big part of why I can't really connect with most online Communism groups I come across any more. They all seem to be fascist "all Communism is the best no matter what" groups, and will chastise anyone with constructive criticism on past or present failures.
Do you think countries like Denmark and Norway would be about the closest to the ideal? I know nowhere is perfect, but they seem to strike a pretty happy balance with the Nordic Model.
@@jameswalker68 They're definitely the best I've found. If I could afford the cost to relocate and job hunt for a work permit in Sweden, I would. Although Germany was talking about launching a "New Green Card Program" around New Years. I figure if I find an opportunity to spring on that, I will. And if I complete it and gain German citizenship, ask myself whether I just want to stay or take my newfound EU right to work to Sweden. Unfortunately I haven't heard any word on any progress since.
@@nikdog419 Wishing u the best of luck with that Nik 🙂
Where are u living at the moment?
Australia is home for me. We aren’t too bad - but Denmark is still my utopia! Lol
Would Australia be an option for you?
We are a long way away though! 😂
@@jameswalker68 I'm in California. The general consensus I get from looking in from the outside, is that Australians are a very progressive, "real" (no beating around the bush) people. Strong car culture, strong 419 culture, and a sense of humour only some Americans have. It's also on the half of the earth with the cleaner air. (Southern Hemisphere) I can't say I know anything about your weather, but I assume it's mostly on the warm/hot end of the spectrum. 🤮
I'm a cold weather person. I complain that California is too hot year round. When it's winter, we have what our summer temperatures should be. When it's summer, it's christian hell on earth. My grandparents have told me I have the same opinion of the weather here as my German great-grandfather.
Interviewer: "February? It must've been cold."
GG: "No it wasn't cold. It was hotter than hell."
Interviewer: "In summer it's hotter than hell, in winter it's cold."
GG: "No, no, no. It was never very cold."
Anyways, I've never been to Australia, definitely want to go visit, not sure if I'd want to live there. My sister wants to go live there. But she has no real reason to other than she likes Bluey. I try to get her to watch any of the other Australian TV shows I watch, or even just consume more Australian media. No luck, I'll just leave her to her own dreams.
I have been to 3 of the 5 Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, and Finland). I didn't want to leave Sweden when it was time to go. I seriously contemplated renting a cheap AirBnB for a month, and looking everywhere for work. But I knew if it came down to it I couldn't afford both the month stay and a flight home. I wasn't sure what would happen if I was there and ran out of money, stay, and food. Do I get deported? How does that work? Does the government pay to fly me home? Would I have just been able to use whatever homeless government services they have? Would I have had access to food for the needy? It was something that needed a lot of time to research, but only had 2-4 hours.
19:35
Can’t believe how compelling it was to just watch one guy talking for 43 minutes.
A necessary counterweight to the narrative I’m used to hearing.
And what a brilliant mind!
, remind s me of thaWhiskyGuy "Sucker.... sw.
At the time of this interview, he was 91 years old! He is such a great speaker and definitely has a charm that feels scarce nowadays. While I don’t wish to romanticize East Germany, I can see that this man has lived a happy life for himself. Glad to have found this video
This Is a great interview. GDR was a very developed socialist country, obviously with some problems that we should see in a critical way for the future. Greetings from Italy comrades!
Still haven't learnt a thing. 🤣
Exactly…..
East germany hide there economic problem.when the wall finally come down it was discover there foreign debt stood at 36 billion $debt.has east germany survive beyond 1989 they could have end up like poland.
@@richardque4952 of course It was not a perfect country. We have to remember that after the Stalin period USSR and the socialist block in Europe changed their socialist path and started to create market economy beside planned economy. This caused so many problems in this countries, including a widespread black market growing stronger through the years
@@adderal2147 market economy need a private economic or capitalism to priced the good.without it it can not function.
Enjoyed this so much. Reminded me of my talks with my grandfather. This gentleman is very intelligent and well spoken.
Indeed the listener does not get the impression that Mr.Grossman is feeling obliged to a certain political confession. He tells everything from the position of some private man who wants the best for his human fellows. He is politically impartial but humane to a high degree.
I am fortunate & blessed with the opportunity to visit East Germany in 1986 & 1989 before the wall came down. I was in Dresden, Halle & Leipzig. It was very difficult to get in & out those days, our car was nearly turned upside down for routine checks. I sat in a Trabant ( known as a card board boxcar), queued for food, bought Meissen Porcelain, wooden windmill pyramids, cuckoo clock, etc Those days were really tough for East Germany, no fresh fruits, meat, good coffee powder, even toilet paper, but I had great fond memories.
It was not that bad to be honest.
I had the pleasure of visiting too.
mine was early 80s visit
But it was not a bad life, Free education, free health care system, very very cheap next to nothing rents, free child care. People ate good food and fruits if were lucky like apples, oranges would come out once year which was a treat.
Above all, it was the safest city in the world.
Oh the East German people were friendly and no racists people what so ever.
I miss those days in DDR (GDR)
Everything you can't get in communist countries is Free
@@spidyman8853 and a bullet in your back if you tried to leave this paradise....
@@spidyman8853все отмечают хороший климат в отношениях людей и отсутствие потребительских привычек в социализме. Как говорил Ленин-при капитализме все становится непременно продажным, любовь, дружба, отношения... Что мы видим сегодня?
This was fascinating. I served in the British Army in West Germany during the 1970s, and was always intrigued by life in the East. I later, through friends who lived in West Berlin, was able to visit firstly East Berlin, and later the DDR beyond. I wasn't really able to form any strong opinions, but what this gentleman has to say, adds greatly to my limited knowledge.
I'd say ask George Blake but he defected 4 year's before you got there..
@@victorseger6044 And how great it is now on the east where they are treated like %^^%=# under your capitalism..
I grew up in an Eastern country and guy is just regurgitating Stalinist propaganda! I have lived in the US since 1994 and there is no comparison! Lifer in the US is much better and most importantly there are freedoms like freedom of expression.
This is fantastic. For a long time now I have thought a wall of western lies had surrounded East Germany. Now I know the GDR was a much much better than it was made out to be in the west. At last hope for a positive future for humanity has returned.
@Brady Fries it was easier to leave the east then it was to leave the west
@@maxamphetamines you know just taking the metro
@Sebastian Guevara becose👏of👏spys👏
@Sebastian Guevara ahhh waht a totaly expected reaction.
@Sebastian Guevara idiot
What an interesting and well spoken man. Thank you for a fascinating video.
Victor is a true comrade, I look forward to reading his book.
True Tankie
@@Rainaman-
I don't like the mayoriti of the tankis
But maaaan this guy... True comrade
@@Rainaman-stay mad lmfao
do you know what tankie means? it comes from British communists used against Soviets for intervention in Hungarian revolution which was co-opted by fascists, at first it was a genuine revolution, students and workers out protesting, for a better socialism that could fit Hungary, that was what they wanted, the fascists spurred on by Radio Free Europe propaganda and hardliners of the church, went around the streets beating and murdering anyone they THOUGHT was a socialist or communist, and they'd hang you, where ever they could, literally where ever they could, there are photos of it, people hanging from lamp posts, awnings, streets signs, buildings, all for being SUSPECTED socialists or communists, the Red army used tanks to bring peace back to the streets, you can find photos of Soviet tankers helping civilians up onto the vehicle to be protected and rescued from the fascists, British communists at the time, it being late 1900s and little actual communication back and forth thought that this was the Red army stamping out a real Hungarian revolution, it was in fact them SAVING the Hungarians from having an attempted revolution overtaken and their nation brought to fascism, were they perfect? fuck no no one was is or ever will be, but fuck out of here acting like saving protestors from fascists could be bad, proud fuckin tankie.@@Rainaman-
What a wonderful watch. Mr. Grossman comes across as a fine and wise yet pragmatic Gent of the old school. Thank you for sharing this. Top notch!
Very interesting
Thank you for this interview. This was exceptional. 👏🏾👏🏾
This interview was very interesting, and I felt this guy was pretty even handed when it comes to the DDR.
GDR* German Democratic Republic
@@mtado4933 I prefer Deutsche Demokratische Republik... but neither is right or wrong. One is German and one is English, like CCCP vs USSR.
@@materialdialectics Oh i get it, Thanks for clearing it up! I never knew that.
@@mtado4933 No worries!
@R Williams Plenty of things,
"I believed that I did the right thing at the time but during the past 30 years after the break up my opinion has changed"
"THE DDR DID NOTHING WRONG"
"THE DDR DID NOTHING RIGHT"
"I don't even fucking care I just like collecting trabbies"
Humans are complicated creatures, whose opinions change over time.
Excellent video. A sweet, sophisticated, good guy tells his own story and interprets the world now. We so much SO MUCH need people like him.
Thanks for the positive treatment of East Germany during the Cold War. Finally, a clean and fair exposition. Again , thanks!
In the United States we are so propagandized it's disgusting. We have become a laughing stock of the world, everyone now sees the USA as the hellhole it truly is. Money for the wealthy and bombs but nothing for the working poor.
Even though East Germany no longer exists, I would like to know more about the life of the citizens living during this period.
What a legend! May he live healthily and happily many more years to come.
I’d take affordable housing, free childcare, free healthcare, and job security over a choice between 200 brands of cereal.
Rent was TEN PERCENT of your income. F---ing hell! I would put up with a lot for that kind of deal.
Move to North Korea or Cuba, they will take you almost gladly. But you don't want that, isn't it, hypocrite?
North Korea, Cuba?
@@bodyloverz30 Cuba is nice indeed! Has better life expectatency than the US, even whilst struggling against an illegal trade Embargo since over 70 years!
But to answer your accusation, most of us don't want life to be better only for us, but for everyone :)
Was probably much easier to get in to East Germany. The wall wasn't designed to keep people out. It was designed to keep people in.
Not true! USA created a terror group to crush the GDR! Such threats had to be stopped!
What an interesting post. Mr. Grossman tells an intriguing story of life in the DDR. Very cool.
Man, its always amazing to learn from old people. Whenever I get chance to talk with any old chap who has been around ww 2 (here in India), i ask them ton of question on British policy and soviet influence post Indian independence.
A very good and comprehensive interview. If the DDR still existed I'd have emigrated. I'd rather have a low salary but have a flat with child care, and health benefits, seasonal goods versus can't afford to get on the housing ladder, zero hour contracts, medical insurance, no free dental, with this payment and that payment. I haven't seen my quality of life improve despite what I've paid in taxes, it's got worse
I would have to love to live in DDR. The old days seem better then to day.to.many problems today
Actually it was way better in the old days. Atleast for us living in East germany... basicly we earn like a little more than in DDR times, but the prices have gone up Western level, so pretty high. But with the low money we earned in DDR, with also low prices then, we couldve got much more than nowadays. Now im speaking from my parents perspective, but pretty much everybody says that theyd love to live in ddr again
smol edit: in the more later DDR* like about 1957 life was good there, we also were the richest Country in the eastern bloc
I would go in a New York minute.
Then why did millions of east germans leave for the west ?
Just feel into my feed, thank you! I thoroughly appreciated this fellow's view and experiences, much to learn from him. ❤
This was a good interview. Very passionate about his life and very detailed too.
Thank You for posting this!
Thank you so much for this video. This is what i need to know about East Germany. Direct source from a person that REALLY lives in East Germany. Not those who claimed themselves to live in East Germany
East Germany does not exist any longer it is just Germany because East Germany failed many years ago.
@@rrickynsc2855 ok, and?
@@lilflecktarn5498 Ok and East Germany does not exist.. You are speaking as if it still does..
@@rrickynsc2855 what? no, I don't.....
What Victor Grossman said about DDR (GDR) was spot on
What a great man, it was so interesting to hear him describe the differences between the west and living in East Germany. So good to hear an ordinary man's view. When I say ordinary, I mean not a politician pushing his view, he is in fact and extraordinary man with a great story. Thank you, Mr Grossman.
Great interview, and his book is great to read "A Socialist Defector"
I would like to read it
i lived in Germany for 2 years and the lady i lived with she told the people in the east had everything they needed but they wanted the top class products from the west like Jeans and music centres.
What a wonderful gentleman! Truly a great interview!
Amazing Video! Thanks for the upload. He is not just an interesting, but also very intelligent and honest man, i enjoy listening to him. therer are many things about the DDR people get wrong, in todays germany as well as other western countries. Genosse Grossman I hope you are doing well today, I would love to know what he thinks about post-socialist germany and the world today, maybe theres a chance to interview him again someday.
Fascinating and nice to see and hear a positive perspective from somebody who experienced both sides of the coin…
No issues with the Stasi? Well they couldn't escape😂 Yes West Germany was a dream, I lived there. East Germany was incorporated into the Marshall Plan, Stalin said no.
So interesting. Fantastic videos. I love stories of DDR .👍🙂🇩🇪
Nothing is "free." The money for it comes from someone.
A FASCINATING life, journey & person!! I MUST read his book👉probably won’t be able to put it down!💪👏👏👏
I find it interesting that when discussing the Stasi he mentions that the FBI conducted the same activities, and earlier. When you hear about the GDR in the west it's always about 1 of 2 things, the wall and the Stasi. When discussing the Stasi you often hear about Zersetzung and it was always interesting to me that by the time the Stasi began to systematically implement any of those methods, the intelligence agencies in the USA had already pioneered and mastered the craft at least a decade before.
Perhaps that is because the FBI did not have a spy per 180 inhabitants, or perhaps because the US was a democracy. That is when you have elections and can choose who is in power, unlike GDR where you could not move these assholes and incompetents out of the way by any means. Dictatorship founded on persecution and fear - GDR. Ans yes, I checked and the US was not exactly that, now, was it.
The United States has one of the most advanced surveillance networks - even all the way back to the 1950s. There are leaks all the time exposing the scale of US surveillance but it seems Americans just shrug it off for some reason.
And the responses to this important comment are hidden......
Whataboutism.
and here we see someone who has never debated once and does not understand the terms they use.@@briandelaney9710
Very insightful. Now I need to get his book
Fascinating interview , learned a lot here !! Well done uploading this
What an excellent interview. It should have more views. I've been trying to learn the history of countries within the ussr and how they actually functioned, since here in the US, history class in high school literally stops after the bombing of japan. This man explained everything that's going on in the world spot on.
Lol, even in Ireland we learn about all the US presidents from FDR to Reagan, 9/11, decolonisation and fall of Berlin Wall etc
@@TheDominionOfElites So did I in US public school. Not sure what he's talking about...
Your comment is a year older, but wow, I’m shocked that you actually bought this guys BS story. If you’d like to know the actual truth about Communist Germany from family that lives through it let me know I’d be more than happy to explain the reality of it not this piece of crap old mans lies, who by the wat was a Stasi informant in his city and condemned many people to death
Read these books! ; Stasi State or Socialist Paradise?: The German Democratic Republic and What Became of It, Kill Anything That Moves, Cry Korea, Killing Hope, Stalin: History and Critique of A Black Legend, Soviet Democracy, The Day the World Stopped Turning, Blackshirts and Reds
@@lhaviland8602 Well I sure as hell didn't. Not everybody gets the same education in the USA. If you live in the city your studies are typically incredibly out-of-date with hand-me-down books from a generation or two ago. No worries if you're a wealthy white family though!
Victor Grossman was spot on about life in East Berlin DDR (GDR)
It was not a bad life, free education, free healthcare system, very very cheap rents, free child care.
Yep, it was not bad at all. And, it was a pleasure visiting East Berlin in the early 80s as it was getting better and better.
Are you on drugs? Have you ever talked to people who actually lived through that crap? You didn’t have a choice on where you worked or what school and degree you pursued IF they let you go to higher education. Want to just stay at home and be a house wife? Nope, off to work for everyone. Don’t want to work? Ok, we have special camp to help you learn how to enjoy work. Socialism is nothing more than theft and imprisonment of an entire country. Socialists lie constantly to get people to believe them and the biggest reason why the US had a large military was because socialists have one goal in mind and that’s to take over the entire planet under their rule. We managed to beat them open;y but they moved into western countries and slowly subverted them by indoctrination of our kids so after 40-50 years, those brainwashed kids are begging for the government to take away their rights we fought for centuries ago. So in all, you deserve everything you hope for.
@@echohunter4199 the man in this interview and various others DID live through it dumb fuck
I lived in East Germany. I escaped from the STASI in 1959. I never regretted it. I love living in the USA.❤
My father fled from the west to the east, also because of red scare. Best what he didnin his life he said
I’m not at all a leftist, but I always want to hear other points of view, especially first-hand accounts. Great interview. Thank you!
WOW!! This is amazing!! So informative!!
Very interested in east german history. Loved this man story, very sharp still and what an amazing life.
Of all the foreigners I’ve met in Texas who I’m stunned to find have never seen Dallas, somehow the GDR had Dallas.
West Berlin and West Germany had “Dallas.” Much of the DDR was able to pick it up except for Dresden.
a wonderful interview
West Germany did pay war reparations to western nations. The occupation zones of Germany used the "first charge principle", meaning that each power was free to exact whatever war reparations it deemed valid and just. The east paid to the Soviet Union, because it extracted from its own zone at will.
As for Poland, it was compensated, primarily from German land being transferred to it. The land that it lost in its east was territory that it had acquired from the USSR in 1920 in a border war.
It may be worth observing that the destruction that had been inflicted on the Soviet Union also happened to be far greater than anything that had befallen the Western countries.
We cannot ignore the effect of the Marshall Plan on West Germany, though. They were given billions.
The DDR had no help.
@@jeremynv89523 That's because Stalin and the Soviets and their lackeys in power in the Eastern bloc refused to participate in the Marshall Plan. The Soviets/eastern European/East Germany's own leadership cynically starved their people of the help on purpose.
Pretty hard to feel sorry for idiot people who screwed themselves on purpose.
@@jeremynv89523because the USSR didn’t allow their satellites to accept Marshall aid
@@jeremynv89523 The DDR WAS offered help by the Marshall Plan, as were the other Eastern European countries. The Soviet Union ordered them all to refuse the help offered.
İ would listen to this man hours and hours
The reality of the DDR.
A very interesting interview.
I always wondered what had happened in this massive political transition
Now I know
When I was there for a half day in the '70s, I heard that the GDR was better off than the USSR.
I think DDR had highest standards of living in eastern block.
@@johnwakefield5007 As I said, that's what I learned when I was there, that the Russians were careful who they sent. LFGFJB!
Life in the DDR was indeed better than in any other communist land. However, the East Germans did not compare themselves to the Bulgarians or the Mongolians or the Soviets. They compared themselves with their West German relatives, visitors, and what they saw on West German TV. East German youth could hear the Beatles and Elvis Presley and rock and roll, and they liked it. The basics like housing and bread were subsidized, but the nice shiny attractive and fashionable stuff was only available through Intershops, hard currency stores run by the government. This was greatly resented.
Really, the traditional and stuffy party line had no chance against Elvis, John, Ringo, George, and Paul.
@@Dutch_Uncle The communist line is flourishing here in the United States of Soviet America (USSA), where the DNC cabal aspires to become the sole legal party and exercises rule by decree. LGBFJB!
@@Dutch_UncleThe people of the GDR paid the ultimate price for their vanity.
Damn amazing interview!! This is priceless! Thanks for spreading the truth
😂😂😂😂😂. Yes, the truth. As per George Orwell.
Great video! The GDR was a true workers state!
No. It was a class society. The Party big wigs were the New Class as Milovan Djilas wrote about
Ok I am ready to give up most of my laverages today to go live in a place like this, I am dead serious
Have fun!
Joe North Korea is pretty much a monarchy pretending to be communist. China is essentially capitalist. And Cuba has one of the best most cutting edge healthcare systems in the world. Cuba is not that bad
Joe First, yes North Korea sucks, but it clearly is not communist... communism is not hereditary monarchy with a personality cult. Second, no one advocates for communism to be “edgy”, they are tired of working for some tyrant-boss at a low wage job with no health care or benefits. They’re tired of a few wealthy tyrants hoarding all the wealth and dictating to the rest of us what little scraps those wealthy allow us to have as they ration out things like medical care education and housing., things being produced in abundance. Third, there is no such thing as “lazy”. Google it. Fourth, look at the fact that a majority of refugees and migrants are fleeing capitalist economies where they’ve been treated like animals and ground into the dirt by greedy corrupt capitalists exploiting them so westerners can eat cheap bananas every morning. Do yourself a learning exercise and list all capitalist economies that are failed states and then list the ones LABELED communist, look at the longer list. It boggles MY mind that defenders of capitalism are blind to all its failures to a fault and live in a state of denial and confirmation bias. The western capitalist world, rich from centuries of imposing brutal slavery on millions for profit, exterminating indigenous people and inflicting imperialism on poorer countries, which all culminated in fascist regimes conducting genocide and a second world war... but you’re going to ignore all those facts and call people stupid because their eyes are opened to the horrors of the system they, like you, were indoctrinated to believe in despite what basic observations can tell you about the failures of that system. Now I have to go figure out how to pay for medical treatment I need but can’t afford, beg some rich guy for a CHANCE at a job I’m overqualified for that won’t even offer insurance, work that job till the point of exhaustion and hope that I won’t be ended by uniforms at a traffic stop. Living the capitalist dream! Read more.
And Joe keeps quiet with no response in weeks. We won EZ Clap
@@ineptpacific3974 Its not that you had no chance of winning its that he won't accept defeat and will ignore all the arguments, and still act like he won.
This man is good. You can't bs him. Bravo, Sir.
My grandparents fled from there in 1956.. with a lot of kids in tow..
Far out..
A lot of other family had to stay there and they all wanted out.
Fu@k!ng brilliant. I doubt there is a more insightful recollection than this
Half of my relatives used to live in DDR,near East Berlin..so we knew what and how it was there...
For me in person that was never the way...ideology, Stasi all over, DDR walled in...etc
But anybody shall make his way ☝️😎
"Stasi all over".
It's significant that you just blatantly ignored his point. Not only did the FBI do it all before the Stasi, Western surveillance and repression was far greater in extent, and it's only slowly becoming visible to us. For instance, literally every left wing movement in the UK was directly infiltrated by under cover police officers. This became such a farce that in the 1980s, one police officer voted along with one other member of a small Communist org to yet again "split into a smaller party", forming what became a party of only 2 people.
Which is notable among political centrists in the West there is a meme about factionalism among the left. And in police handbooks there is instructions to do precisely this.....
But the mainstream opinion is that the left does it to themselves.
And before you say "but you said the repression was more extreme".
The West killed at least 10 million in warfare against left wing forces during the Cold War. More than likely in excess of 20 million. From Vietnam, to Angola, to Chile, to Greece. Directly shot and killed and kidnapped and tortured and massacred. Not some fake academic study which shows that malnutrition was high in China during the US naval blockade and therefore Mao was a monster. The numbers that died indirectly from Western repression if you used the same loose rules of anti-communist propagandists are probably heading towards the billions now that we're sailing past 1.5c of global warming. The already dead ... the number one cause of death among children in India is malnutrition. All those famines Africa is so famous for are due to colonialism & capitalism. Churchill starved millions to death in India deliberately. Unlike the collosal mistakes made in the 1930s USSR, which were internally fiercely denounced by everyone.
@@jamesrowlands8971Whataboutism is your “argument “ basically ?
@@briandelaney9710but he’s right though, a lot of y’all talk about “millions dead” under communism but never keep that same energy for colonialism, Americans/Europeans initiating war with third world countries, and businesses robbing resources while starving people of basic necessities because of profit. When last have you talked about those?
Excellent interview 👍
Untrue, nazis were still present in East-Germany after 1945. The Ger’s army was built up with the help of former Wehrmacht soldiers and former nazis.
Source: vibes
Thank you Victor for an intelligent in sight in to the DDR, I have always thought it was not as bad as depicted and struggled to compete with the BRD. I travelled in the DDR and given more time I think it could have turned the country into a peoples paradise.
You are sorely deluded stuka, they murdered and imprisoned thousands of their own people for years. I lived a few miles from the East German border and people were regularly risking their lives to cross minefields, electric fences and a wide river just to get away. Oh and they were also shot at. It took years to get a phone, car. Food shortages were common, people went hungry. This man was treated well because he was a defector and a traitor. Still, his life is interesting and worth reading about. Dont forget that the wall was put up to stop people accessing the west where consumer goods were plentiful, food was readily obtainable. Free education, healthcare....hmm something we have had in the western european nations for many years. (except the USA which is shameful). And all supported and by your local friendly secret police. Im sure that the tens of thousands who vanished into gulags and re-education centres do not share his views, freedom of movement and expression was non existent. Does not sound like paradise to me.
@@simonbaker6962 I didnt say it WAS a Paradise, I said given time it could have become a paradise ! without Soviet constraints the East Germans would have developed a fair workers state and given communism a human face. Alas that didnt suit the U.S. Although Mrs Thatcher was all for it ! She liked the idea of 2 Germany's , but lacked the Political and Financial power to implement it.
@@unclestuka8543 Hey, dipshit? Apparently it hasn't crossed your feeble mind that a dream that features the STASI and shoot-to-kill zones isn't a dream, but a nightmare. Wake the fnck up, already.
While his experiences are interesting, he notes that the East German government was repressive (to its own citizens), because large companies in West Germany were angry at being forced out of East Germany. The repression of one has nothing to do with the anger of the other. Also, the extent to which the Stasi spied on its own citizens is unrivalled by any country in the west. Here petty individuals spy on each other to incompetent managers.
No, he said they were being repressive because they became paranoid over the West's periodic attempts at disrupting and destroying the GDR. Not to say that their methods were correct, but also understandable given the fact that the West *was* attempting to destroy the GDR and eventually succeeded.
NSA says Hi.
The Stasi was 90,000 people it was big per capita.
The USA has 800,000 full time police officers, plus a multitude of other police on every level like FBI, DHS, DEA, state, federal, CIA etc. and the largest prison population in the history of the world. In other words both were/are police states.
The weirder more insidious issue with the STASI was one in five citizens agreed to be secret informants for the STASI. So that meant possibly your wife, your brother, your best friend, your mother or father or son etc.
@@matthewkopp2391 ! out of every 63 East Germans corroborated with the Stasi 173,081 Informants not to mention the other 91,015 Stasi employees , and yes without question one of those informants could be your wife your husband your sister .. all in 41,828 square miles which is about the size of the state of Tennessee
I like this guy a lot. I’m not in to socialism or communism or leftist ideas at all, but I’m open to hearing them out. No system is perfect and it’s not a reason to hate people. This was super interesting and thank you for getting this gentleman’s perspective.
Well, very accurate statements from a wise man!
@@aggy1230 Did you live in a communist country?
@@mikeharvey2129 yes, I did
@@aggy1230 Do tell. Please. Which one? How was it?
@@mikeharvey2129 I am a mongolian, lived as well in GDR, in both countries it was really peaceful and secure. Maybe not everyone had a car or a big house but more happy in life for sure
@@aggy1230 Hmm. If we went back forty/fifty years, would you go back to the GDR or would you go the west?
I like Mr. Grossman’s explaining life in East Germany.
It appears the DDR nearly made socialism work. What he doesn't mention is the enormous burden the Staatssicherheitsdienst was on the East German economy, to the point where it just wasn't sustainable
In other words, socialism worked, but state policy as a whole didn't.
But it was a safe city, no crimes.
Why did thousands flee ???
It was work-ing. Socialism is a struggle to build the Communist project, it's not a definitive thing that works or doesn't. It's a constant struggle towards something greater.
Sounds like Grossman really misses the good old Soviet days.
Clearly an evil commie propagandist.
I disagree with this guy on nearly everything, but he seems clear and honest. Unlike most people who never admit to any flaws or problems with their preferred side and never any positives with their adversaries, he's straightforward and generally acknowledges facts regardless of their implications.
wow this is amazing I read about this guy in 2 different books about the DDR
Excellent and thoroughly absorbing interview.....things are never quite how they appear.
homelessness and joblessness went up by 4x after the reunification within east germany
Maybe they shouldn't have turned East Germany into a prison camp, spending 40 years brutally oppressing their own citizens.
A very intelligent soul.
he gave me a better understanding of good socialist country , as a Canadian and strong capitalist has given me food for deep concideration
What was the quality of life for people of religious faith in East Germany?
at the end of its existance the GDR catcheed up with western Technology and even made microprocessor western germany didn't make but imported from japan nad the US
SMART , AND WISE WORDS
@6:25 Also for consideration are the war reparation's, which saw the allied zones of occupation stripped of heavy industries, including the Soviet eastern zone. This was something which the less industrialized east (DDR) could not make up for as easily as the west (FRG), and may help explain the disparity in industrial output in their post-war economies.
I believe that was a huge mistake by Stalin, however it's easy to criticize in retrospect. The Soviet economy was ruined by the war and needed to be rebuilt completely. But I suspect that had the Soviets tried to rebuild the eastern bloc economically the way the west did through the marshall plan perhaps the communist governments would have survived.
@@gregmunn2945 I completely agree. But that being said, the USSR was in dire need of industrial equipment, so I guess it wasn't hard for the populace of the Soviet Union, who had endured so much during the Great Patriotic War, to justify. That being said, it certainly contributed to the air of mistrust between the Warsaw Pact nations and Moscow. Not that the Suez Crisis in '56 left any doubt that the Western power's had similar misgivings about one another.
Hope this man made some more videos please. So interesting. 👍🙂
He has alot of books,and I can tell he read them all.
I could listen to this man speak all day! I'm saving this video to show my students! I wish I could interview him. Thank you for this amazing resource, this living history! ❤❤❤
Great doco. Very interesting old fella.
The famous saying give up freedom for a little security you end up with neither.
Thank you, very interesting story!
This was a remarkable interview and wealth of information. I really wonder, was there anything at all that could have turned things around in the GDR? Or at least prevented it from collapsing?
Very intelligent, left-leaning of course from the beginning but still insightful.
What's wrong with left leaning?
" I Had to sign a statement saying you have never been in any left-wing organization... or you had to report to police as a foreign agent" hmm I love freedom
Where can I find that iconic picture of Marx, Engels, and Lenin on the front of the apartment building on Karl Marx Allee? I want to try and get that printed and framed in my bedroom hahaha
Been in east Germany and east Berlin 1985, great experiences,
What is never said is he probably received better housing and food access from the outset because his defection was a great propaganda tool. He was treated differently than the general East German.
He was recruited by the Stasi as an informant , and yes he was a propaganda tool ... and most defiantly was treated different .. what I dont get is that the United States dropped the charges on him for defecting
@@victorseger6044 probably because the Cold War ended and Germany unified. It was easier to just let the issue of his defection die away.
I love how whenever capitalists hear something they don't like,they start bringing excuses like "he's brainwashed" or "he is treated differently because [random yee yee ass reason they can find]". It's honestly funny
Interesting perspective, thanks!
Victor Grossman was a Stasi informer.
Id like to think that most of what was said is true. However I do feel that him being a US citizen at birth may have earned him special treatment… Im not going to dispute what was said as everyone has a different view of the world and is entitled to their opinion. But what I always keep in mind when thinking of the DDR or the Soviet bloc in general is when you need to build a wall to keep your own people in, something cant be right.😁