Past and present

An account of the historical and political climate which gave rise to the formation of the German Democratic Republic after the collapse of the fascist regime at the end of the Second World War. The film focuses on the social, economic and political goals of the GDR and highlights the influence of the Soviet Union in European anti-fascist movements from the 1930s to the present day. Includes Second World War footage of Berlin under attack and the Reichstag in ruins, followed by footage of the liberation of Berlin. The film examines the formation of anti-fascist democratic parties, the Potsdam agreement, the GDR's friendship with the Soviet Union and the role of the National People's Army. Also discusses the involvement of the Soviet Union in the Spanish Civil War. | Content warning: contains distressing scenes of concentration camp victims.