George Gibson

• History (Modern) and Politics BA – University of Liverpool

• International Relations and Security MA - University of Liverpool

I graduated from the University of Liverpool with an undergraduate degree in Modern History in Politics in 2013, and with a Masters degree in International Relations and Security in 2015. During this time I developed a strong interest in 20^th Century History, particularly in regard to the Cold War era. My MA dissertation covered the prospects of a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am a Communications professional, and have spent time working in the constituency and parliamentary offices of two Members of Parliament, and so also maintain an interest in British and European Politics.

My research analyses a selection of a previously unresearched collection of letters written by citizens of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to the BBC German Service’s weekly ‘Letters without Signatures’ radio programme, which ran between 1955 and 1974, regarding their opinions and experience of living within the socialist state. I am particularly focusing on letters from the period prior to, during, and immediately after the construction of the Berlin Wall as a key event in the history of the GDR. The letters have never before been subject to academic analysis and can provide a key contribution to the debate around the nature of dictatorship and role of the state security services (Stasi). The letters provide a unique insight into the ways in which ordinary East German citizens constructed an image of the GDR for an audience in the West. They demonstrate what the authors sought to relay about the country they lived in to an international audience. Analysis of the state’s response to these letters, as seen in the Stasi files, can show in turn how GDR authorities sought to contain these expressions of discontent.

Research Interests

• 20^th Century History
• Nazi Germany
• German Democratic Republic
• Cold War
• United States Foreign Policy and the Vietnam War
• British and European Politics
• International Relations and Conflict