Writers' Union of the GDR

The Writers' Union of the GDR was a state-controlled organization representing writers in East Germany (GDR). Founded in 1949, it aimed to promote socialist ideals and ensure writers adhered to government policies. Membership was often mandatory for professional writers, serving both as a professional association and a means for government influence over literary production. While it supported literary development, it also scrutinized and censored works that did not align with official ideology, making it a tool for maintaining political control over culture within the socialist state.