Between Solidarity and Convenience: Socialist East Germany and Postcolonial Syria

It has been widely argued that the socialist states entered the Middle East as a consequence of the disruption of relations between postcolonial elites and Western states. Historical research has confirmed this point, but it has also revealed the need for more thorough qualification. Though in itself peculiar, the story of the German Democratic Republic’s (GDR) role in this Arab country offers a significant insight into the whole process of diversification in Syrian international relations. As a matter of fact, the very existence of the two competing Germanys offered an immensely valuable opportunity for Baathist leaders to extract the best possible offers from industrial countries: and this proved especially true for the weaker source, namely the GDR.