The article deals with the problem of the continued existence of the GDR literature after the German unification in 1990. Attention is drawn to new opportunities and new facets of East German literature. The discussion will also involve the relation of authors with the East German origin to GDR and German literature. New, young authors use the GDR material to process the past literature and establish their place there. Mainly, however, the question is raised about the identity-forming function of this literature.