• Germany edition
12 percent of Germans think this wasn't such a bad scene. Photo: DPA

Every eighth German wants the Wall back

Published: 8 Nov 09 13:48 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091108-23113.html

With celebrations underway across Germany to celebrate the opening of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Communist East German regime, a new survey says a surprising number of Germans wouldn’t mind seeing the barrier go back up.

The survey found that 12 percent of Germans would like to see the once-feared border fortification be quickly rebuilt. There was almost no difference in responses between former East and West Germans, suggesting equal levels of disenchantment with a reunified Germany on both sides of the former Iron Curtain.

Those who want to see the Wall rebuilt are mostly unemployed, working class and vote for The Left party, successors to the East German Socialist Unity Party which ruled the country until 1990 before being voted out of power months before German reunification on October 3, 1990.

The poll’s respondents were generally happy that the Wall opened and that Germany reunited, with 79 percent describing the event as a godsend and again, almost no difference in perception between eastern and western Germans.

Inequality in the new Germany was the biggest complaint for those surveyed, with 35 percent saying that generous social protections in both parts of the once-divided country have fallen away since 1989. Eastern Germans were more concerned about inequality, with 49 percent describing it as a problem, compared to 32 percent of West Germans.

A quarter of the respondents said their standard of living has fallen since 1989 - though western Germans complained of this more than those from the East.

Performed by the Leipzig Institute for Market Research for the daily Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper, the pollsters conducted interviews with 1008 representative adults from across Germany in late October.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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16:03 November 8, 2009 by lordkorner
Who are these people, the Eight, I have been living in the former east Germany for almost 6 years and I have yet to meet somebody who would like the old system back. Some people I know are of the unemployed, of if their lucky consider themselves working class, maybe its something they carry and just don't want to share with this me and my "Fremdheit"
18:28 November 8, 2009 by mihai.m
"Wouldn't mind" and "would like to" are two totally different things.
18:46 November 8, 2009 by Celeon
The only ones here who want the wall back are the fist-raising, red-socked, Left Party voting old-commies which are still crying like babies over their lost barbwire camp in which they could say "jump for socialism" and people were jumping.

Let them dream of the "good" old days. We'll ensure that these stay nothing but memories who never turn into reality again.
19:34 November 8, 2009 by derExDeutsche
they are hoping for cheaper airfare to Cuba and Venezuela. Fidel (RIP), peace be upon him, and his cronies in Latin America have a MUCH higher approval rating. At least if you can believe the polling #s.

Proof that votes can be bought, at least until you don't need any more votes.

If there is a timely message Germany could be sending, it isn't 'Obama-mania', it should be something they know a thing about, i.e. isolationism and communism. You just don't hear much about those things, tho. So its not hard to believe the 1 in 8 #s. And if asked if they would like communism back, I bet #s would be even higher than that.
20:16 November 8, 2009 by TBurris
I work at a state research center in Dresden and have heard a number of people there (people born and raised in Dresden) say that life was better under the GDR. They don't state specific reasons for why the GDR was better though.
21:44 November 8, 2009 by eddymanly
Locdkorner, clearly, u didnt meet many people in those years.
23:02 November 8, 2009 by Annika669
Guess those people, the 12%, are clever then the most. Guess it's not the wall itself but what the symbol of it means. Got it my self, above my doorstep:

"sie verlassen den amerikanischen sektor"
23:48 November 8, 2009 by Neutral
While the easterners no longer enjoy the state subsidies, the westerners don't see much investment in their part of the country since fall of wall. These could be the cause for frustration for these 12% people. However, real question to be asked, has there been any increase of wealth over the last 20 years and, if so, have they been distributed evenly.
01:32 November 9, 2009 by slobo
I cherished living in Stasi isolation...at least I had my own room!
11:10 November 9, 2009 by mprulez
They say they learn, but they never did!
15:57 November 9, 2009 by derExDeutsche
the only thing Germans have learned (or never forgotten) is Anti-Americanism. and a Hitler Youth-esque zeal for a man who champions the 'Fairness Doctrine' and defends anti-semites.

Its only a matter of time, folks.
16:42 November 9, 2009 by edwards629
If any of these commies wanted the old system, right now would be the best time. This is because the one country that might stand in their way would be america, and with the communist leader that it has(obama), who also is very weak by the way. Right now would be the time. Not that I would support it myself, because I hate the communist, but hey most other crazy leaders can see it, that is Obama thinks alot like them and is also sellout to his country.
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