Ehemalige deutsche Ostgebiete

After both World Wars, land in Eastern Germany was lost to Poland. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 which World War I allowed for the Independence of Poland and required Germany to cede land that had been originally taken from the Kingdom of Prussia in the late 1800s.

After World War II, Germany was required to give up land east of the Oder-Neisse line as agreed upon in the Potsdam Agreement. The annexation of the land to Poland has created debate, both social and political. In 1990, Germany officially recognized the new border, ending any sovereignty that they had over anything east of the Oder-Neisse.

While it may seem that politically, the divide between the countries is not as large as it used to be, there is still a great deal of discrimination between the two countries. Many Germans feel that their land was taken from them and they are angry about it, taking their anger out on Polish people. Some families have become separated due to location and no longer talk to each other. German people who were born on what is now Polish land feel that their identity as German people is constantly questioned and are discriminated against socially.

In Trash Story, we see the world of a divided society through the eyes of a young girl. We see that the violence and discrimination, specifically of Polish people who are living on what was once German land, is still very prevalent and can affect the lives of so many people.

By Dramaturgy Cassie Scaman