»Gesellschaftlicher Dienst« oder »gebotene Parteinahme«?

Abstract

The main aspect of this article is to present the reactions in the media of the GDR and the Federal Republic to the Synod of the Federation of Protestant Churches in the GDR (BEK) in Dresden in 1972 and Heino Falcke’s lecture, »Christus befreit – darum Kirche für andere«. It reproduces central excerpts from these newspaper-articles and analyzes their statements. As a result, it can be stated that the synod and the main presentation were received in East and West with different emphases: The reporting on the synod in the church newspapers of the GDR was critical and rarely differed in their judgments. In the Mecklenburgische Kirchenzeitung and some theological journals of the GDR, however, Falcke’s lecture was openly attacked. The daily newspapers of the GDR, controlled by the SED, tried to interpret the synod as an expression of good relations between church and state; the newspapers of the CDU published further reports and comments, but partly also attacks against Falcke’s input. The coverage in the newspapers of the Federal Republic focused on the problems between church and state, which were discussed on the synod. Thanks to the epd and especially to Reinhard Henkys there was a reporting on the deliberations of the synod in the newspapers and on the radio; excerpts from Falcke’s speech were taken up and disseminated. It’s interesting that the international press, especially in Great Britain, has reported extensively.