“We are the people” (“Wir sind das Volk”) was the historic slogan with which East Germans took to the streets in the mass “Monday demonstrations” of 1989/90, launching the collapse of the communist regime and the fall of the Wall . The slogan quickly became “We are a people”. German reunification in 1990, which has since been celebrated every year on October 3, was accompanied by huge expectations and abundant promises by the political leadership for “blooming landscapes” in Saxony, Brandenburg, Thuringia and the other states of the former East Germany.

But the integration of two such different political and economic systems proved difficult, particularly in the early years after Reunification. The old slogans were not forgotten, but they were questioned and sometimes gave rise to criticism and bitter humor. One of the anecdotes of the time: “We are one people” said the East German to the West German and he replied “So are we”.

Differences in wages and pensions

In the year 2023, many problems have been solved, many difficulties have been overcome. Yet the subjective sense of division and difference seems to remain. In a survey by the Forsa Institute for the RTL group published by the Stern magazine exactly one week before the anniversary of Reunification, 60% of respondents say that what separates West and East Germans is more than what unites them. Only 37% express the opposite opinion, while 3% do not take a position.

Observing some qualitative elements of the research, we find that among those who still see a “divided” country, the percentages of East Germans themselves (75%), as well as pensioners (69%), are particularly high. And this despite the fact that the current government under Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in July that, for the first time, pensions in the eastern and western states of Germany will be equalized.

But the wage gap persists. According to data from the German Statistical Office in 2022 the difference in wages not only did not decrease, but also increased, reaching 13,015 euros (gross) per year. This means that for the same job a West German is paid 13,015 euros more than the corresponding East German. In 2022 the difference was 12,173 euros, while in 2021 it reached 11,967 euros.

“Underrepresentation» in the academic elites

But there are other complaints: according to a recent survey by three East German universities (Leipzig, Jena, Chitau) East Germans are still underrepresented in the “elite” of the state apparatus. Their percentage in staff positions of responsibility does not exceed 12.2%, although the percentage of East Germans in the total population reaches 20%. The representation of East Germans in politics is certainly something more than representative (20.9%). But not in trade unions (3.2%), the judiciary (2.1%) or even the media (8.1%).