The German Democratic Republic (GDR) existed for forty-one years. This gave time for a single generation to spend their entire professional lives in this state. Those born around 1930 made their vocational choices in the first years of the new state that was founded in 1949, were intellectually shaped during the years of the Thaw, built up their careers at the time of the consolidation of the GDR after the building of the wall, were at the peak of their careers in the 1970s, and allowed moderate but not radical reforms while retaining their posts in the 1980s. In 1989, they witnessed the ultimate reform that resulted in the end of the state. By then, they were close to retirement and could age with the unbroken belief in a better form of socialism to come. This book tells the story of this unique generation of economists.