Contesting “Democracy” in Post-War Germany: Narratives of Democratization and Everyday Practices Across the Iron Curtain

This session of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association proposes to move beyond separate stories of post-war democratization in Germany. Tracing the complex processes of democratization on both sides of the Iron Curtain, the session suggests a fresh look at the history of Cold War democracy. Organized by Jörg Neuheiser (Duquesne University) and Phillip Wagner (MLU Halle-Wittenberg), the session includes papers and commentaries by Jörg Neuheiser (Duquesne University), Lauren Stokes (Northwestern University), Alexandria N. Ruble (University of Idaho) and Phillip Wagner (MLU Halle-Wittenberg).