The background of the brief analysis is the political turn taken place in the GDR in autumn 1989. The active role of the »basic-groups« and of the protestant churches in it is well-known. Nevertheless, there are many reasons to consider in a critical way the inner connection between protestantism and democracy in Eastern Germany. Not without any reserve the GDR-Protestantism can be looked at a forerunner and representative of democracy. The GDR-Protestantism seems tobe obliged to develop a better understanding of (...) all the elements constituting democracy. (shrink)

The article gives a tentative interpretation of the history of the Churches in Germany starting 1945 to 1989. Crucial points are the relations oftheGerman Churches to questions of modern pluralism, to questions of peace and war and to questions of the transformation of Churchstructures. Common points are mentioned between the Churches of the older FRG and the former GDR-Churches just so differences between them.