Photos taken by Janina in an alley in Eisenbahnstraße. The graffiti in the left snapshot says ‘Nobody has the right to obey.’

Um Conto de Dois Países: Parte II

As diferenças existentes entre a Alemanha Oriental e Ocidental não são apenas uma consequência da separação após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, mas também dos eventos que se seguiram à Unificação. Embora a ideia de unificação seja um objetivo admirável, a aceitação das diferenças pode eventualmente levar a uma maior apreciação.
Germany, Western Europe

Story by Janina Cymborski. Translated by Joana Fedato
Published on December 19, 2020.

This story is also available in GB de es it kr ru tr



O dia 3 de outubro é o Dia Nacional da Alemanha, data da Reunificação em 1990. Mas, muitos alemães do leste comemoram os eventos do outono de 1989. Em Leipzig, celebramos o dia 9 de outubro de 1989, quando 70.000 pessoas se manifestaram pacificamente por um país livre temendo que enfrentariam o mesmo destino que seus colegas na Praça Tiananmen, na China. Os atiradores estavam por todos os telhados, observando, esperando para receber a ordem de atacar. Mas essa ordem nunca chegou. As preocupações que minha família e outros tinham ao assistir a essas manifestações eram grandes.

Nascida em Leipzig e vivendo lá novamente, participo das celebrações do 9 de outubro, andando pelo centro da cidade com milhares de outros, segurando velas, ouvindo através de alto-falantes os cantos do povo de 1989. Com lágrimas nos olhos, assisto às filmagens da abertura das fronteiras em Berlim no dia 9 de novembro de 1989 - um mês após as manifestações em Leipzig. Eu me pergunto sobre as expressões nos rostos das pessoas que são livres. Qual seria a sensação de ter sido confinado por toda uma vida e finalmente ser livre? Penso na minha família e na vida que eles tinham que viver, a vida que eu estava destinado a viver se não fosse pela bravura dessas pessoas. Depois de 1989, minha família e eu poderíamos deixar o país e fazer parte de um mundo novo e livre, com novos conhecimentos e opiniões.

Mas isso não significa que eu deva cumprir automaticamente apenas com outra ordem social. A importância de questionar o sistema existente é a lição mais importante que aprendi com a revolução de 1989. É exatamente porque eu não nasci em um país livre que a liberdade para mim é o oposto de conformidade. Liberdade é encontrar minhas próprias respostas às perguntas mais fundamentais: quem sou eu, quem quero ser e que tipo de vida quero viver? O que separa Ossis de Wessis é a percepção de que nenhuma ordem social é estabelecida em pedra e, portanto, pode ser mudada (como mostra minha certidão de nascimento, emitida por um país que não existe mais).

Hoje o desemprego ainda é parte da minha família e o dinheiro ainda é um problema. A RDA ainda faz parte de nossas vidas, não apenas de nossas lembranças. Tendo vivido em dois sistemas, meus pais aprenderam da maneira mais difícil. A boa vontade deles foi explorada muitas vezes. Tivemos que começar do zero em um mundo em decadência. Vejo que meus pais lamentam o sentimento de pertencer que perderam e que eu nunca tive. Na Alemanha Oriental, eles pertenciam à uma comunidade, à pessoas que se sentavam no mesmo barco. Para ser justo, a comunidade na RDA frequentemente era coerciva, caracterizada por uma dependência mútua: "Eu trabalho na administração, se eu ajudar você a conseguir um apartamento, você pode me arranjar uma bicicleta para meu filho"? A comunidade era necessária para sobreviver, sustentar uma família e administrar a sempre presente escassez. Era para se dar bem, não para chegar à frente. Mas, por precisar e cooperar com outros, você sempre esteve com outros. Em 1990, perdemos ajuda e cooperação, em favor da riqueza e do lucro em detrimento dos outros. A unificação foi uma bênção e uma maldição. Muito foi ganho, talvez mais do que eu jamais possa compreender. Mas acredito que uma certa humanidade foi perdida - uma humanidade que talvez só seja possível em circunstâncias extremas.

Leia a Parte I da história de Janina aqui.


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Janina Cymborski

Janina Cymborski

Born in East Germany, I still live here, enjoying the freedom of an unconventional life I did not really plan on having. After college, I worked in the travel industry in various positions in sales and at one point I decided that it was not enough. I quit and went back to university. I will be doing my master’s degree in political science hopefully next year and apart from that engage in various activities. I learn Arabic and vice versa support others learning German. I volunteer for different projects, both here in Leipzig and Europe-wide. I lack money, sometimes employment, and certainly I could have chosen an easier path. But so be it. I obviously took the road less travelled  and I hope it will one day make all the difference. As Rosa Luxemburg put it: Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.

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