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Kampen för erkännande : DDR:s utrikespolitik gentemot Sverige 1949–1972

Linderoth, Andreas LU (2002) In Studia historica Lundensia
Abstract
Since the early 1950’s the foreign policy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) towards Sweden and the other Western European states was dominated by a striving for diplomatic recognition. This thesis examines that striving through an analysis of the East German-Swedish relations from 1949 until 1972. The main focus is on the years 1954-1972. The thesis draws mainly on East German archival material from the ruling communist party SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) and the GDR foreign ministry.



A starting point of the thesis is that GDR generally used all its contacts abroad to further its foreign political goals. GDR’s efforts to develop the relations with Sweden on seven different areas are investigated.... (More)
Since the early 1950’s the foreign policy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) towards Sweden and the other Western European states was dominated by a striving for diplomatic recognition. This thesis examines that striving through an analysis of the East German-Swedish relations from 1949 until 1972. The main focus is on the years 1954-1972. The thesis draws mainly on East German archival material from the ruling communist party SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) and the GDR foreign ministry.



A starting point of the thesis is that GDR generally used all its contacts abroad to further its foreign political goals. GDR’s efforts to develop the relations with Sweden on seven different areas are investigated. An important aim is to analyse GDR’s political utilisation of areas, such as culture and traffic, that normally are not considered political or studied by traditional political history. The application of the concept of public diplomacy is central in this context. The analysis of the Ostseewoche (Baltic Week) is a significant part of the investigation of areas that traditionally not are considered as being part of foreign policy. The Osteewoche was a week filled with cultural activities and sport. The analysis of the inaugural ceremony and other activities of the Ostseewoche shows that even official East German ceremonies were used for purposes of foreign policy. However, GDR’s relations with Sweden on the normal foreign policy arenas such as diplomacy and economy are also analysed.



Great weight is given to analysing the perceptions of the political elite and the foreign policy actors to understand why certain actions were taken and why certain elements were significant of the GDR foreign policy. The question of which political instruments were the most important to the East German efforts to improve the relations with Sweden is also investigated. An important result of the thesis is that GDR had a comprehensive strategy for the development of the relations with Sweden. The main elements of this strategy were in place 1958 and did largely not change since. The spreading of a positive GDR-image was a very significant element of the East German foreign policy. Sweden was one of the most important Western European countries to the GDR foreign policy during this period of time. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract in Swedish
DDR:s utrikespolitik gentemot Sverige och övriga västeuropeiska stater dominerades sedan början av 1950-talet av en strävan efter diplomatiskt erkännande. Avhandlingen undersöker denna strävan genom att analysera de östtysk-svenska relationerna från 1949 till 1972. Tyngdpunkten ligger på åren 1954-1972. Huvudsakligen har källmaterial från det i DDR styrande kommunistpartiet SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) och det östtyska utrikesministeriet undersökts.

En utgångspunkt för avhandlingen är att DDR i stort utnyttjade alla utlandskontakter i strävan att uppnå sina utrikespolitiska mål. De östtyska försöken att utveckla relationerna med Sverige undersöks på sju olika områden. En... (More)
Popular Abstract in Swedish
DDR:s utrikespolitik gentemot Sverige och övriga västeuropeiska stater dominerades sedan början av 1950-talet av en strävan efter diplomatiskt erkännande. Avhandlingen undersöker denna strävan genom att analysera de östtysk-svenska relationerna från 1949 till 1972. Tyngdpunkten ligger på åren 1954-1972. Huvudsakligen har källmaterial från det i DDR styrande kommunistpartiet SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) och det östtyska utrikesministeriet undersökts.

En utgångspunkt för avhandlingen är att DDR i stort utnyttjade alla utlandskontakter i strävan att uppnå sina utrikespolitiska mål. De östtyska försöken att utveckla relationerna med Sverige undersöks på sju olika områden. En viktig målsättning är att analysera DDR:s politiska utnyttjande av områden som vanligtvis inte ses som politiska eller studeras i traditionell politisk historia, som t ex kultur och trafik. Applicerandet av begreppet public diplomacy är centralt i avhandlingens analys av det östtyska agerandet på dessa områden. Analysen av Östersjöveckan är en viktig del av avhandlingens behandling av DDR:s politiska utnyttjande av icke-politiska områden. Östersjöveckan var en vecka fylld med kulturella aktiviteter och sport som arrangerades i Rostockregionen vid den östtyska östersjökusten under åren 1958 till 1975. Analysen av Östersjöveckans invigningsceremoni visar att även officiella östtyska ceremonier utnyttjades för utrikespolitiska ändamål. Även Östersjöveckans övriga aktiviteter kan ses som inslag i östtysk public diplomacy och som led i ansträngningarna att sprida en positiv DDR-bild. Avhandlingen diskuterar även DDR:s relationer med Sverige på mer traditionella utrikespolitiska områden som diplomati och ekonomi.

I strävan att förstå varför DDR agerade som det gjorde och varför vissa inslag kom att dominera i den östtyska utrikespolitiken läggs stor vikt vid att analysera den politiska elitens och de utrikespolitiska aktörernas perceptioner.

En av avhandlingens viktigare slutsatser är att DDR hade en övergripande strategi för utvecklingen av relationerna med Sverige. Denna strategi var färdigutvecklad 1958 och förändrades sedan endast i mycket liten utsträckning. En annan viktig slutsats är att spridandet av en positiv DDR-bild var ett mycket centralt inslag i den östtyska utrikespolitiken. Avhandlingen visar också att Sverige var ett av de allra viktigaste länderna för DDR:s utrikespolitik under hela den här aktuella perioden. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Dr. Scholz, Michael F, Högskolan på Gotland
organization
alternative title
The struggle for recognition GDR foreign policy towards Sweden 1949–1972
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
German Democratic Republic (GDR), public diplomacy, diplomatic recognition, Cold war, international relations, Sweden, Ostseewoche (Baltic Week), History, Political and administrative sciences, Historia, foreign policy, Statsvetenskap, förvaltningskunskap
in
Studia historica Lundensia
pages
350 pages
publisher
Historiska Media
defense location
Department of History, Stora Magle Kyrkogata 12A, Room 3
defense date
2002-11-09 10:15:00
external identifiers
  • other:ISRN: LUHFDA/HFHI-2002/1114-SE+350
ISSN
1650-755X
1650-755X
ISBN
91-628-5331-7
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
cdc6a6e7-f61d-44b9-bb66-f499b15a360e (old id 20886)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:19:11
date last changed
2019-05-24 08:28:00
@phdthesis{cdc6a6e7-f61d-44b9-bb66-f499b15a360e,
  abstract     = {{Since the early 1950’s the foreign policy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) towards Sweden and the other Western European states was dominated by a striving for diplomatic recognition. This thesis examines that striving through an analysis of the East German-Swedish relations from 1949 until 1972. The main focus is on the years 1954-1972. The thesis draws mainly on East German archival material from the ruling communist party SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) and the GDR foreign ministry.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
A starting point of the thesis is that GDR generally used all its contacts abroad to further its foreign political goals. GDR’s efforts to develop the relations with Sweden on seven different areas are investigated. An important aim is to analyse GDR’s political utilisation of areas, such as culture and traffic, that normally are not considered political or studied by traditional political history. The application of the concept of public diplomacy is central in this context. The analysis of the Ostseewoche (Baltic Week) is a significant part of the investigation of areas that traditionally not are considered as being part of foreign policy. The Osteewoche was a week filled with cultural activities and sport. The analysis of the inaugural ceremony and other activities of the Ostseewoche shows that even official East German ceremonies were used for purposes of foreign policy. However, GDR’s relations with Sweden on the normal foreign policy arenas such as diplomacy and economy are also analysed.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Great weight is given to analysing the perceptions of the political elite and the foreign policy actors to understand why certain actions were taken and why certain elements were significant of the GDR foreign policy. The question of which political instruments were the most important to the East German efforts to improve the relations with Sweden is also investigated. An important result of the thesis is that GDR had a comprehensive strategy for the development of the relations with Sweden. The main elements of this strategy were in place 1958 and did largely not change since. The spreading of a positive GDR-image was a very significant element of the East German foreign policy. Sweden was one of the most important Western European countries to the GDR foreign policy during this period of time.}},
  author       = {{Linderoth, Andreas}},
  isbn         = {{91-628-5331-7}},
  issn         = {{1650-755X}},
  keywords     = {{German Democratic Republic (GDR); public diplomacy; diplomatic recognition; Cold war; international relations; Sweden; Ostseewoche (Baltic Week); History; Political and administrative sciences; Historia; foreign policy; Statsvetenskap; förvaltningskunskap}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Historiska Media}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  series       = {{Studia historica Lundensia}},
  title        = {{Kampen för erkännande : DDR:s utrikespolitik gentemot Sverige 1949–1972}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/61426448/Kampen_f_r_erk_nnande_Andreas_Linderoth.pdf}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}