This interview was first published in March 2019 - on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has been updated.

Mr. Gysi, you grew up in Johannisthal in East Berlin. Is there a certain smell, a sound that you associate with your childhood? No noise, no smell either, but: silence. At Johannisthal, one would never have thought of living in a big city. There was something cozy about that. We also said: "We're going to the city" when we went in the direction of Friedrichstrasse.

Was there Berliners at home? Occasionally by my father, by my sister and me anyway, but not by my mother.

Access to all STERN PLUS content and articles from the print magazine

ad-free

Already registered?