TV: Postmodernism and Deutschland 83

 Postmodernism & Deutschland 83: blog tasks

Media Magazine - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past

Media Magazine 73 has a feature exploring Deutschland 83 as a postmodern media product. Read ‘Deutschland 83 - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past’ in MM73  (p18). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?
The West was shown as free and democratic, while the East was portrayed as oppressive and communist.

2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis? 
It mixes genres, nostalgia, history and popular culture instead of presenting a straightforward historical account.

3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.
The military scenes, 1980s music and contrasting lifestyles create nostalgia while introducing Cold War tensions.

4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?
It shows East Germans enjoying family, music and celebrations, making them seem warm and relatable.

5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?
Bright consumer culture, pop music, fashion and stylised visuals create a nostalgic version of the 1980s.

6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience?
It argues that audiences enjoy the series because it presents history through nostalgia, entertainment and media references rather than historical accuracy.

Postmodernism Factsheet

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).

1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?

According to Strinati, postmodern society is defined by the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society, meaning that media and popular culture increasingly shape people’s understanding of reality. Examples include politics becoming more like entertainment through television, celebrities influencing society, and advertising creating lifestyles and identities. Media representations no longer simply reflect reality; they help to create it.

2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
Jameson argues that people understand the past through media representations instead of real historical knowledge. Deutschland 83 presents the Cold War through 1980s music, fashion and nostalgia, making history feel like a media product.

3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
Jameson argues that postmodern media often values visual style over deeper meaning. Deutschland 83 uses colourful 1980s fashion, a memorable soundtrack and stylish cinematography to entertain while telling its historical story.

4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
The factsheet explains that popular music is now seen as a form of art rather than just entertainment. This applies to Deutschland 83 because its 1980s soundtrack helps create emotion, nostalgia and meaning throughout the series.

5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage is the mixing of different genres, styles and cultural references. Deutschland 83 combines spy thriller, family drama, romance, comedy and real Cold War events with 1980s music and fashion.

6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
Audiences enjoy recognising 1980s songs, fashions and cultural references. They also enjoy the mix of genres and the fact that the series does not present one clear political message, allowing different interpretations.

7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
The series mixes fact and fiction, combines several genres and avoids presenting either East or West as completely good or bad. Instead, it offers a nostalgic and stylised version of history that encourages audiences to question traditional Cold War narratives.

8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
The opening military exercise mixes historical events with action-thriller conventions. Martin's family party challenges stereotypes of East Germany through music and celebration, while his arrival in West Germany highlights consumer culture, fashion and nostalgia. These scenes combine history with popular culture, making them strong examples of postmodernism.

There is a lot of challenging work here - you will have plenty of time to complete it so take it slowly, read around the subject and re-watch the scenes from the first episode on All4 to help develop impressive academic answers to these questions.