Film Lens
In 'Our Children,' director Roland Steiner captures the lives of marginalized youth in East Germany during the late 1980s. The film focuses on subcultures such as goths, skinheads, punks, and neo-Nazis, which the government claimed did not exist. Over four years, Steiner gains access to these young individuals, documenting their experiences and motivations in a society that often dismissed them as social deviations influenced by Western culture.
The documentary provides a rare glimpse into the hidden youth culture of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It challenges the narrative that these identities were merely a product of Western propaganda, offering insights into the complexities of youth identity in a repressive regime.
Why Watch
- •Meet Rainer M. Schulz and other youth in East Germany.
- •Find out how the GDR viewed subcultures in the 1980s.
- •See the real lives behind East German youth identities.
Did You Know
•The film was directed by Roland Steiner in 1989.
•It documents the lives of marginalized youth over a span of four years.
•The film features subcultures like goths, skinheads, and punks in East Germany.
•Despite official claims, these youth cultures were prevalent in the GDR.
Perfect For
East German historyYouth subculturesCold War studies