Eichsfeld's secret history: Rosary communists and SED myths dévoilé!

Eichsfeld's secret history: Rosary communists and SED myths dévoilé!

In tranquil Eichsfeld, a region with a deeply rooted Catholic culture, an exciting piece of history is examined. The historian Christian Stöber, himself from Eichsfeld and whose wife is also a teacher in the region, is dedicated to this insightful research work. He published his doctoral thesis, which deals with the SED's attempts to transform the Catholic milieu into a proletariat loyal to the state, as a book. “Rosary Communism: The SED Dictatorship and the Catholic Milieu in Eichsfeld 1945-1989” deals with the challenges and contradictions in a region that was first mentioned in documents in 897 and yet remains in the shadow of the political upheavals triggered by the Eichsfeld Plan of 1958 to industrialize the region.

What is behind this Eichsfeld plan? The plan was a central element of the SED strategy to transform the region from an agricultural character to an urban economic center. Around 1,750 jobs were created in Deuna, with the largest cement factory in Europe, while Leinefelde grew into the largest cotton mill in the GDR, offering employment to 5,000 people. Nevertheless, a shadow remained over the region, which, with over 80 percent Catholics, was considered an exceptional political area in the GDR. The SED struggled to gain a foothold in this heavily Catholic area, as was seen in the 1946 elections when the SED received the fewest votes here.

The role of the church

The Catholic Church, an institution of still high prestige in the region, offered support to the faithful and was a visible part of life, as large pilgrimages and processions showed. The Stasi bowed to the social fabric it could not destroy and derisively referred to members who belonged to both the church and the party as “Rosary Communists.” Despite this dual membership, it was largely tolerated by both the population and the church. In the 1980s, the SED tried to end this dual membership through more radical measures, but the resistance was too strong.

The SED regulations and their influence also extended to the everyday life of the population, but there was little active resistance. In 1953, the People's Police reported “everything was quiet” from Eichsfeld. The Peaceful Revolution of 1989 came later here, but following a strong mobilization by the church and its prayers for peace, it ultimately represented a turning point. The Catholic milieu in Eichsfeld remains intact to this day, despite the challenges brought about by demographic change and social fragmentation.

A look into the past

The historian Christian Stöber examines the period of the Eichsfeld Plan that has received little attention. With an investment volume of over 200 million GDR marks, the economic restructuring was ambitious, but ideologically the SED failed because over 70 percent of the population remained Catholic until 1989. For Stöber and many others, these contradictions and people's unchanged church life represent a fascinating source for understanding GDR history.

The region, which is now considered not only historical but also an anchor of democracy in East Germany, shows that history lives on not just in books, but in the living legacy of its people. The current challenges may be great, but a strong Catholic milieu remains an integral part of Eichsfeld.

Eichsfeld, shaped by its history and culture, will continue to be a place of memories and reflection. A symbol of governmental change and personal identity that will endure into future development.

For more information about the history of Eichsfeld and Christian Stöber's work you can read the following articles: MDR, Catholic.de and South Germans.