March 22, 2010
Published: 5 Nov 09 13:51 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091105-23061.html
Confirming the popular notion that there is still a “Wall in the mind,” a poll revealed Thursday that most Germans believe there is a gulf between the East and West, even though they overwhelmingly support reunification.
DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
In the West the perspective that "we will need to be taxed to bring the East up to the modern day standard" is also not without some truth. Again, it was change itself, not the costs or other issues, that caused people pause.
While some of that would calm down over time, the revelations of the Stassi created a whole new set of problems, and the upheaval in society still hasn't healed. We can't expect people to simply accept that their best friend, dear neighbors, or even spouses are suddenly outed as spies.
Punishment might have been nice, but an open discussion would probably accomplish more, and be both cheaper and more healing in the process. How to have that discussion is a more problematic question.
In the end, however, I think on thing remains: As difficult as life can be with civil freedoms, it's still better than life under severe oppression.