Voices from transition: literary reflections on postsocialist life in German and Estonian contemporary literature [Siirdeaja hääled: postsotsialistliku elu kujutamisest saksa ja eesti nüüdiskirjanduses]

This article examines the literary representation of the transition era and its effects on individual and collective identities in Daniela Krien’s “Muldental” and selected examples of Estonian contemporary literature. Focusing on the concept of the “losers of the reunification” (Wendeverlierer) in former East Germany and the analogous experiences in postsocialist Estonia, the study explores how these works portray the disorientation and adaptation of people during and after the collapse of socialist regimes. The analysis highlights the resilience of individuals as they try to fill the “void” (Tlostanova) left by the dismantling of old social structures, offering insights into the broader human experience of loss, transformation, and the search for stability in postsocialist societies. Keywords: Daniela Krien, “Muldental”, transition era, losers of reunification, East Germany