About Patricia Smith Author
Understanding the political and economic changes in Eastern Europe, especially East Germany, is crucial for anyone interested in world history and international relations. My work offers a profound look into these significant transformations, backed by extensive research and firsthand experiences.
Early Interest in Eastern Europe
My first visit to East Germany in 1964, shortly after the Berlin Wall divided Germany, sparked a lifelong interest in the political landscape of Eastern Europe. Many years later, my interest in the area was reignited through a 1986 trip with the Pacific NW singing group Jubilate. Gorbachev had just come to power, bringing a new openness to the region, and I distinctly remember the unexpected freedom I had to walk around Moscow. Throughout Eastern Europe, I experienced firsthand the early signs of political protests and transformations—in Moscow, Warsaw, Budapest, Prague, East Berlin, and the Baltics. After 1986, I returned to the region almost annually for many years, and I have continued to document the profound changes through my writing and photography.
Personal Experiences with the Stasi and the Berlin Wall
Studying at East Germany’s College of Economics (Hochschule für Ökonomie) in East Berlin during the summers of 1988 and 1989, I had firsthand encounters with the Stasi (the East German security police) and observed the nation's political and surveillance climate. In early 1990, shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, I spent several months in East Berlin conducting preliminary research for my dissertation.
Fellowship and Research in Berlin
During 1991-92, I received an IREX (International Research and Exchanges Board) Fellowship, which allowed me to spend a year in Berlin affiliated with Humboldt University. This fellowship enabled me to conduct extensive archival research and interview over sixty East German activists and church leaders from Berlin, Leipzig and Erfurt who were involved in the 1989 revolution. These experiences greatly informed my writing and provided insights into the political and social movements of the time.
Teaching and Lecturing Career
My teaching experience includes classes in East and West German politics, international relations, and social movements at the University of Washington and at universities in Romania. My academic work is complemented by practical government experience, where I've served as urban, regional, and city planners, legislative analyst, and program administrators, particularly in housing and community development programs.
Research and Key Publications
I hold a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle. My dissertation, "Democratizing East Germany: Ideas, Emerging Political Groups, and the Dynamics of Change," introduced the important roles of informal and diverse groups, often without visible leaders, promoting many wide-ranging ideas. Based on more than 60 interviews, the dissertation recorded how multiple formal and informal networks came together in unexpected ways that ultimately led to widespread revolutionary activity and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
My dissertation laid the groundwork for my future publications, including "After the Wall: Eastern Germany since 1989." This book provides in-depth coverage of post-unification's societal, political, and economic impacts. I also contributed chapters to other publications, on topics including German economic and monetary union, German foreign policy, and the U.S.-German post-Cold War relationship.
Over the next twenty years, I returned to Eastern Europe many times, often to Leipzig--to conduct more interviews with activists, access archival research, and visit multiple exhibits. On one of my trips, in 2009, I participated in the 20th anniversary march around the Leipzig ring re-enacting the November 9 march that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 2014, I published “Revolution Revisited: Behind the Scenes in East Germany, 1989.” This book featured information about the activists and the revolutionary events in Leipzig and incorporated photographs of the activists and their activities.
Photography and Life in Ocean Shores
Photography has been a lifelong interest, and I used my camera to document many experiences during my travels. Many photographs from my time in Eastern Europe capture the essence of political and economic changes firsthand. During my almost twenty years in Ocean Shores, Washington, I became more seriously involved in my photography, which I showcased at the Gallery of Ocean Shores. My local photographs include landscapes, seascapes, architecture, abstracts, and flowers.
Present Life
I returned to Seattle in 2017 to be closer to my family. I enjoy attending live theater, film, and music events, and watching sports, documentaries, and crime shows on television. reading, especially magazines, biographies, and non-fiction. I continue to research for my current book project, “In the Shadow of World History,” especially through newspapers and magazines, and I particularly enjoy reading biographies and non-fiction.
I am a longstanding advocate of organizations that empower women. Travel has dominated my life, and I have taken several family history trips tracing my geneology. Language continues to intrigue me, and I have studied German, French, Russian, Romanian, and Spanish throughout my lifetime. I remain connected to my hometown of Moundridge Kansas, and the University of Kansas community with periodic visits.