“A Free Voice of the Free World”

The perception of RIAS Berlin in East Germany and the GDR between 1946 and 1953

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2012 , 19 Pages , Note: 1,3

Histoire de l'Allemagne - Après-guerre, La Guerre froide

1. Introduction

“RIAS has always been more than just the initials of an American post-war
operation in divided Berlin. For many people in Berlin and in East Germany
RIAS Berlin was and still is a part of their life; a piece of their very personal biography“(Kundler 2002: preface)
This statement was made by Siegfried Buschschlüter, RIAS broadcasting director, in October 1993, a few months before RIAS’ history ended and the one of its successor, Deutschlandradio, began. RIAS, short for Rundfunk im Amerikanischen Sektor was established in Berlin by the United States Information Agency in 1946 and has played a significant role in German media history in the post-war era. Its motto “A free voice of the free world” proves the objective of the station and the position it saw itself in. The
paper at hand aims at investigating this role and will elaborate on the question why this station was so special to the people – especially to the people in East Germany and later the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Measuring the impact of RIAS on the people in East Germany and the GDR might seem impossible, since in these areas it was officially forbidden to listen to the station. Still, people did listen, since radio had the important advantage that it could be received almost everywhere while Western press
was not legally and easily available for the people in East Germany (Soldat 2008: 184).

Therefore, it is very important to note that this paper's objective is twofold: it does not only look at the perception of RIAS by its target listeners in East Germany/the GDR but also at the way how East Germany's government perceived and reacted to the station. The most important historical event bringing together those two sides is June 17th, 1953, since this day, RIAS and its reporting triggered the strongest reactions from both sides of the spectrum. This is mainly the reason why 1953 was used in this paper as a frame year to limit the focus of this paper on a particular period of time. Of course the influence of RIAS did not end with the year 1953, on the contrary. There were many events such as the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961 or Kennedy's visit to Berlin in 1963 to which RIAS and its reporting had a lot to contribute. However, these events after the revolts in 1953 will be left out in this paper.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The beginnings - from DIAS to RIAS
• The elections of 1946 and Operation Back Talk
• RIAS and the Berlin Blockade
• A program for the East
• Reactions from the East
• RIAS and June 17th, 1953
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to investigate the role of RIAS Berlin in the perception of East Germany and the GDR between 1946 and 1953. It seeks to understand why RIAS was so special to the people, especially those living in East Germany and the GDR, despite being officially forbidden to listen to it. The paper will also explore the East German government's perception and reactions to RIAS, particularly focusing on the events of June 17th, 1953, which triggered strong reactions from both sides. Key themes explored in the paper include:

• The impact of RIAS on the East German population
• The role of RIAS in the context of the Cold War and the division of Germany
• The limitations of measuring RIAS's influence in the GDR
• The significance of June 17th, 1953, as a pivotal event in the history of RIAS and the GDR
• The historical events that influenced and were influenced by RIAS

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter introduces the paper's subject, RIAS Berlin, and its historical context. It highlights the station's importance to people in Berlin and East Germany and establishes the paper's objective to investigate RIAS's role in the perception of East Germany and the GDR between 1946 and 1953. It also explains the significance of June 17th, 1953, as a pivotal event and the paper's focus on that specific timeframe.
• The beginnings - from DIAS to RIAS: This chapter explores the establishment of RIAS, tracing its origins back to DIAS, a wire-based radio station created by the USIA in 1946. It describes the initial focus on informing and entertaining residents of the American occupation zone and the transition to medium-wave broadcasting, allowing RIAS to reach a wider audience. The chapter also discusses the complexities of RIAS's administrative structure and its significance in the context of US foreign policy.
• The elections of 1946 and Operation Back Talk: This chapter examines the impact of the 1946 elections in Germany on RIAS's programming and the implementation of "Operation Back Talk," a strategy aimed at countering Soviet propaganda. The chapter likely focuses on the content and style of RIAS's broadcasts and their role in shaping public opinion in East Germany.
• RIAS and the Berlin Blockade: This chapter likely focuses on the role of RIAS during the Berlin Blockade, a period of tension and conflict between the US and the Soviet Union. It may examine how RIAS's broadcasts informed the population about the blockade and its implications, and how it served as a source of information and support for those living in West Berlin.
• A program for the East: This chapter likely focuses on RIAS's programming strategies specifically designed for its East German audience. It may examine the content, tone, and format of these broadcasts, how they aimed to counter Soviet propaganda, and how they sought to provide alternative perspectives and information to those living under communist rule.
• Reactions from the East: This chapter explores the East German government's perception and reaction to RIAS. It may examine how the government attempted to suppress RIAS's influence, its propaganda efforts against the station, and the responses of the East German people to these attempts.
• RIAS and June 17th, 1953: This chapter focuses on the events of June 17th, 1953, and the role of RIAS in the worker uprisings in East Germany. It may examine how RIAS's broadcasts sparked protests, its coverage of the events, and the government's response to RIAS's reporting.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the historical context of RIAS Berlin, examining its role in the post-war era, particularly in the perception of East Germany and the GDR between 1946 and 1953. Key terms include: RIAS Berlin, East Germany, GDR, Cold War, Soviet Union, USIA, propaganda, media, radio, public opinion, June 17th, 1953, and worker uprisings.

• Université: University of Bonn (Institut für Anglistik, Amerikanistik und Keltologie (IAAK))
• Note: 1,3
• Auteur: Annika Witzel (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2012
• Pages: 19
• N° de catalogue: V207735
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656351313
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656353294
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: free, voice, world”, rias, berlin, east, germany