“Warmongering, Sabotage and Espionage”

An analysis of anti-church argumentation in the SED’s official press organ Neues Deutschland during the “building of socialism” 1952/53

Abstract

The following paper depicts the anti-church arguments presented in the GDR press organ Neues Deutschland (ND) in the years 1952 and 1953. It will provide general information about the GDR’s church politics before 37 ND articles will be analyzed through a qualitative content analysis regarding the therein presented argumentation. As will be shown, various argumentative lines were used to promote anti-church ideas and defame religious institutions and dignitaries.