An Evolutionary Process: Contributions of the Bundestag Inquiries into East Germany to an Understanding of the Role of Truth Commissions

Reunified Germany's reckoning with the legacy of the communist German Democratic Republic included a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the history and consequences of the former regime. This commission has not been well served by the literature on truth commissions. Most accounts and assessments rest on a particular taxonomy of ‘truth commission’ that is based largely on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission model. This not only impedes genuine understanding of the German commission but also prematurely closes off discussion about the role of truth commissions. This article argues that commissions such as that of the Bundestag should be understood and assessed on their own terms and in their own contexts. It also suggests that the German case can contribute to the continuing evolution of the truth commission concept. To this end, the article provides a differentiated discussion of the aims, work and achievements of the Bundestag commission.