Antonia Heesen, 2022

Franziska Linkerhand is a fictional character, the main protagonist of an eponymous book written by the East-German author Brigitte Reimann (1933 – 1973). The story follows Franziska as she gets older in post-war Germany, more specifically in the German Democratic Republic. The socialist system in which she grows up sets the foundations for her academic career. At the same time it drives her into a corner in which she has to choose between being swallowed by the before mentioned strict guidelines provided by the Building Department and the social and aesthetical standards that she has developed in university. Furthermore, Franziska – as the only woman at her workplace – is exposed to prejudices and burdens that weigh on her, which she deals with in various ways.

This essay provides a closer look at the way Franziska Linkerhand’s built environment is described and linked to the socialist structures she lives in. Affected by her daily experiences, she develops strong emotions towards the newly built socialist city she lives in – conceived by her mostly as cold, bland and violent. Furthermore it evaluates how Franziska’s role as a woman correlates with the latter and influences her design choices and her work life.