This work deals with the first phase of the GDR literature, the so-called Aufbauliteratur. It shows how the GDR dealt during the years 1949 to 1956 with the fascist past and how the newly formed socialist state was built. The contemporary literature of the GDR reflects the efforts to reeducate people in the sense of the socialist ideas and to portray the daily life of the new socialist republic. In the meantime this literature should boost the working people to increase the production and to build a socialist economy. The aim of my work is to show the reflection of the former reality in the literature. As a basis for this analysis there are five selected works from Eduard Claudius Mensch an unserer Seite, Hans Marchwitza Roheisen, Elfriede Brüning Regine Haberkorn, Jan Koplowitz Unser Kumpel Max, der Riese und Harry Thürk Die Herren des Salzes. Keywords: GDR, Aufbauliteratur, socialist state, working people, production, re-education, Eduard Claudius, Hans Machwitza, Jan Koplowitz, Harry Thürk, Elfriede Brüning