The Game

Abstract

Lutz Rathenow (32), together with Frank-Wolf Matties, Jürgen Fuchs and Bettina Wegner, represents a new generation of opposition writers in East Germany. Brought to early prominence, they filled the gaps in a literary community decimated by the expulsion and emigration of many leading spokesmen. Rathenow has been fighting state censorship since 1980, when he became the first East German writer to be imprisoned for the crime of publishing a book abroad. In early June 1984, the staging of his pantomime play, Keine Tragoedie (No Tragedy) was cancelled a few days before opening at a university theatre in Leipzig. The director of the play was later suspended and the actors submitted to a ‘personal and artistic aptitude test’ to gauge their suitability for continuing in the pantomime group. This action followed a protest letter by Rathenow to the Ministry of Culture, which was leaked to the Western press, sharply attacking restriction on literary freedom in the GDR. The following sketch (translated by Jean Brown) is published here by permission of Piper publishing house (Munich); it appeared in Lutz Rathenow's book Boden 411. Stücke zum Lesen und Texte zum Spielen (Ground 411. Pieces for Reading and Texts for Acting). This book was impounded by the authorities when it was sent to Rathenow by his West German publisher – a fact which he duly included in his letter of protest to the Ministry of Culture.