Rammstein and Ostalgie: Longing for yesteryear

Ostalgie, former East Germans' desire for the time before German reunification, has played a growing part in the lives of citizens of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). This article examines whether and to what extent this theme is present in the works of Rammstein, the world-famous German band whose members all grew up in the GDR. Our analysis reveals the thematic prominence of Ostalgie in this band's works, and further that this theme has not diminished - indeed, it appears to have expanded - over the course of Rammstein's career.