AllMovie

Adieu Winter takes its title from a children's song by nineteenth century German poet Hoffman von Fallersleben. The song is an ironic farewell to winter: "Goodbye Winter/ Parting is sorrow/ But your exit is such/ That my heart laughs." None of this is lost on Helke Misselwitz -- this film is her ironic "farewell" to East Germany. Months before the German reunification, Misselwitz criss-crossed East Germany interviewing women on the current state of their lives. What emerges from these interviews is a sense of dissatisfaction, especially with the state's promises to strive for gender equality. Even with the state's expressed support, the programs seem to have failed miserably. Adieu Winter is a priceless historical document of generation of women's hopes, fears, and aspirations.