{"id":16581,"date":"2025-04-25T12:23:59","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T10:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=16581"},"modified":"2025-06-13T15:19:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:19:48","slug":"germany-35-years-after-the-fall-one-country-still-divided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/16581\/germany-35-years-after-the-fall-one-country-still-divided\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany 35 years after the fall: One country, still divided"},"content":{"rendered":"
35 years ago, the wall fell in one of the largest countries in Europe. 35 years later, Germany is still divided\u2014now without a wall, but in people’s minds it still stands… just as strongly as all those years ago. According to cultural expert Chris Wunsch, can you still see this in the different architecture, on a cultural level, in political opinions, and in the differences in unemployment rates.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Chris Wunsch, Event Management at the ICI Berlin Institute of Cultural Inquiry, says there are still many cultural differences between East and West to this day. \u201cIn Berlin, it\u2019s not that bad because so many different cultures live in one city, but once you go a bit further outside of Berlin, it\u2019s quickly very different,\u201d says Wunsch. \u201cPeople in the East have a different mentality, background, and upbringing than those in the West. A culture like that does not just fade into the background, we should not forget that. You can still see it in everything: architecture, unemployment, and political opinions.\u201d ICI Berlin is, in their own words, an independent research centre dedicated to exploring how diverse cultures can be brought into productive rather than pernicious confrontation.<\/p>\n Old typical Eastern building in Berlin – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n Old typical Eastern building in Berlin – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n Fall o<\/strong>f the Wall<\/strong><\/p>\n On November 9th, 1989, it finally happened: after 28 years of division, the Berlin Wall fell. And not only Berliners were reunited\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n Between the Wall – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n throughout Germany, the division seemed to disappear, right?<\/span>\u00a0That was the idea at the time. Germans from the East, also called <\/span>Ossies<\/em>, could now go to the West, to the <\/span>Wessies<\/em>, and vice versa. After the reunification, everything would be fine again, and divided Germany would become one <\/span>Bundesrepublik Deutschland<\/em> once more. However, by then, these were two completely different countries, with different cultures, norms and values, incomes, wealth, and laws. Even 35 years later, all these diffe<\/span>rences are still clearly visible in everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\n Kiki-Jane van Iterson at the Berlin Wall – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n To this day, people from the West still hold most of the important positions throughout Germany\u2014not only in the business world, but also in politics, science, media, and the cultural sector. North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg, and Bavaria seem to be the breeding grounds for Germany\u2019s future decision-makers. One well-known important German politician comes from the East: former Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, she never spoke publicly about her past in the former GDR. Later in her career, she even admitted that her roots there were a disadvantage. (Hoeks, 2024)<\/p>\n Living in the East, West and Berlin<\/strong> A part of the Berliner Wall full of graffiti – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n move for two years. Very spontaneous of course, not knowing I would still be living there five years later.\u201d<\/p>\n Typical East German building with small windows and a lot of concrete – Made by Loekie Pruijn<\/p><\/div>\n After half a year, she moved from the West to the other side of Germany, to Cottbus\u00a0in the East. At first, everything seemed fun and normal. However, she noticed that people on the street looked at her differently than at her international friends. \u201cThe locals wanted nothing to do with internationals. After a while, I became mostly friends with other internationals, partly because my German was not great yet and no one there spoke English. There were many students from India and Afghanistan. The local population did not really like that,\u201d she says. They were often yelled at, and phrases like \u2018go back to your own country\u2019<\/em> were not uncommon. \u201cThe people who said this were mostly those on the street\u2014often unemployed people who were just trying to keep themselves busy,\u201d says Merel. \u201cI never experienced anything like this when I lived in Bremen. People are just very different in the West compared to the East. There is a real cultural difference, and you can see it in everything. In Berlin too, everbody is different there. It feels like i lived in three different countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Unemployment stands Political contrast<\/strong> So, in many areas, the country is still very much divided. The fall of the wall may have just celebrated its 35th anniversary, but that wall is still standing\u2014just no longer visible.<\/p>\n[aesop_gallery id=”16955″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n Cites <\/strong> De Jonge, L., & Frankenberger, R. (z.d.). What is the AfD? Germany\u2019s far-right party,\u00a0explained<\/em>. The Conversation. https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-the-afd-germanys-far-right-party-explained-250218<\/a><\/p>\n Hoeks, G. (2024, 9 november). Thirty-five jaar na val van de Muur: bevindt Oost-Duitsland zich op een doodlopende weg? EWmagazine.nl<\/em>. https:\/\/www.ewmagazine.nl\/buitenland\/achtergrond\/2024\/09\/bevindt-oost-duitsland-zich-op-een-doodlopende-weg-1431020\/<\/a><\/p>\n Statista. (2025, 16 april). Unemployment rate in Germany 2025, by federal state<\/em>. https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/1467048\/unemployment-rate-federal-states-germany\/<\/a><\/p>\n Welt. (2019, 14 april). Ost-West-Gef\u00e4lle: Im Osten wird weniger verdient und l\u00e4nger gearbeitet. DIE WELT<\/em>. https:\/\/www.welt.de\/wirtschaft\/article191920843\/Ost-West-Gefaelle-Im-Osten-wird-weniger-verdient-und-laenger-gearbeitet.html<\/a><\/p>\n



\nThe Dutch Maria Merel has been living in Germany for about five years now. Currently in Berlin, but she previously lived in western Bremen and eastern Cottbus. \u201cI wanted to do my master\u2019s abroad\u2014I was kind of done with the Netherlands, especially during the COVID period when everything was shut down. My boyfriend at the time was German and I found a nice master\u2019s program, so I decided to<\/p>\n

\n<\/strong>In eastern Germany, unemployment stands at 7.9%. That does not sound like a lot, but in western Germany, it is 6%. That is roughly 2% less (Statista, 2025). And in these kinds of numbers, 2% is a huge difference. Also, wages in East Germany are still significantly lower than those in the West. \u201cIn the former communist eastern part of the country, wages are 19 percent lower.\u201d (ANP, 2024) Wunsch finds this incredible: \u201cWe are talking about a 19% difference\u2014that is not nothing. Even after 35 years, which is unbelievable. The gap should have been much smaller by now. Luckily, we are heading in a better direction, and we should not forget how much we have already achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n[aesop_gallery id=”16953″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n
\nEven when you look at the election results from February 23rd, you see the contrast in dissatisfaction between East and West very clearly. In eastern Germany, most people voted for the AfD\u2014the far-right party. This party promises many things, including justice for the citizens of Germany. They also want to help Russia and stop aid to Ukraine (De Jonge & Frankenberger, n.d.). The West mostly voted for CDU\/CSU. This is a left-leaning, pro-EU party that wants to continue helping Ukraine and strengthen the EU, with more funding for defense.<\/p>\n
\nANP. (2024, 21 oktober). Duitse vakbondsleider klaagt over achterblijven lonen in oosten. RD.nl<\/em>. https:\/\/www.rd.nl\/artikel\/1081700-duitse-vakbondsleider-klaagt-over-achterblijven-lonen-in-oosten?utm_source=<\/a><\/p>\n