Describes the origins and growth of the East German environmental movement in the 1970’s-80’s. Two key factors that converged in the 1970’s explain the emergence of a small but vigorous environmental movement. First, the German Democratic Republic’s search for legitimacy in international relations brought about improvements in human rights and consequently gave environmentalists freedom to move. Second, the Evangelical Church took an active interest in environmental issues at the same time that it was establishing contact with international organizations that shared a concern for the environment and human rights. The decentralization of the church’s structure with the formation of the Kirchenbund (Federation of Churches, 1969) and its growing independence from the state (formalized by a 1978 agreement with the Honecker government) made it possible for local pastors and church officials to aid environmental groups by offering them regular meeting places in church buildings and the use of printing materials.
