Mother of the nation? The German Democratic Republic’s forgotten television star, Agnes Kraus

Abstract

Agnes Kraus was one of the most recognizable and popular television actors in the German Democratic Republic. She rose to prominence in the 1970s when she became known for almost exclusively playing Berlin mothers, grandmothers and widows, whose brusque but caring manner was exaggerated for comedic effect, and her characters frequently served as the bearers of traditions and community cohesion. The lasting appeal of Kraus and her characters among audiences from the former GDR is evident from the recent re-release of her television series and films, which are now marketed as ‘Agnes Kraus films’. It may be tempting to attribute Kraus’ ongoing appeal to a desire to revisit the community spirit of the GDR that is encapsulated in these series and films. However, such a conclusion requires closer investigation for, as this article will argue, much of Kraus’ appeal in the 1970s and 1980s resided in the fact that her characters transcended the specificities of nationally-framed values and structures readily identifiable with the GDR.