Introduction

This chapter provides a critical reconstruction of the fundamental aims and priorities of GDR designers, demonstrating that they shared a profoundly socially responsible design approach. It outlines the design educational landscape in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which provides evidence of opportunities for the transmission of Modernist ideas to industrial designers in the early years of the GDR's existence. Designing for Socialist Need constitutes a study of GDR design that is highly focused and informed by a substantial amount of new and detailed primary research. Like most GDR designers, Erich John never expected to achieve public recognition, or even fame, because design was not really celebrated in this manner in the GDR. In fact, John's reflections suggest that GDR design was not about any style at all. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.