„Was willst du in Milano?“ : Musical Images of Italy in Cold-War East Germany

The article examines the significance of musical images of Italy in the GDR. On the basis of travel documentaries, films and Italienschlager, especially from the 1950s and 1960s, it demonstrates that the traditional image of the South was aimed at a domestic audience – especially because, since the construction of the Wall in 1961, travel to capitalist foreign countries was impossible for ordinary citizens. East German criticism of capitalism, exploitation and, in part, neo-fascism in Italy was intended to cause the people of the GDR to lose interest in Italy. Finally, the debates about the ideal East German Schlager lyrics of around 1960 shed light on another aspect that is also relevant for the Italienschlager.