Unfortunately I'm not qualified to answer your question in its entirety because I primarily study The Holocaust and then East Germany but I do have a book rec for you.

Red Love: The Story of an East German Family by Maxim Leo details the ways in which he and three generations of his family managed to live within the ever changing political climate of East Germany from the Weimar Republic all the way up to the fall of the wall, and the sense of loss that came afterwards. There are definitely sections within the book that can give you some answers, especially the chapters detailing his grandfathers who fought on different sides during the war and their lives when they finally returned to Germany.

Edit: Edited to reflect the true nature of the book more since I just remembered that the Empire is only briefly mentioned if at all.