United in Division

Germany celebrates 35 years of unity on October 3, 2025, following 41 years of division as the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). In the last three decades, substantial progress has been made to foster German unity culturally, economically and politically, but clear divisions remain.

On average, eastern Germans have less disposable income, are underrepresented in national leadership positions and many feel like second-class citizens compared to their western counterparts. On the other side of the country, some western Germans have expressed frustration at the strain put on the Federal Republic to integrate the former East into the fold, financed in large part by the controversial “solidarity surcharge”, an additional fee on income, capital gains and corporate taxes for all Germans above a certain earning threshold.

For years, these inequities have created a parallel reality, driven in large part by which side of the Wall one hailed from. A 2024 survey by public broadcaster MDR found that just 27% of respondents feel that Germany is growing together as a nation. But as reunification becomes less of a lived experience and more of a historical data point, attitudes are driven increasingly by the age of those queried, rather than geography. Increased freedom of movement and social mobility also contribute to a “unified” mindset among younger Germans, in line with the more cosmopolitan ethos shared by adolescents across the globe.

To highlight these perspectives, I polled Germans across the country and across generations, asking the same simple question: “What does 35 years of German reunification mean to you?” All names have been changed to protect anonymity, and this sample is in no way meant to be representative of the wide range of thoughts, emotions and experiences surrounding reunification. Nonetheless, it provides valuable insight into the concept of unity in Germany today. Some responses were edited for brevity and clarity; for responses submitted in German, I take full responsibility for any misrepresentation in translation.

Nina, 21 (North Rhine-Westphalia)

“For me as a 21-year-old, reunification plays more of an indirect role, since I did not experience it myself. In my everyday life I rarely think in eastern or western categories, since for most of my generation a unified Germany is self-evident. I do find it interesting, however, that one often notices the difference between East and West in political debates. I know that reunification was a decisive factor in my ability to freely live, study, work and travel today. It has therefore shaped my life, even when I do not always consciously notice.”

Johannes, 23 (Bavaria)

“For me, reunification is really more history—it feels pretty far away. Of course, there is a lot of politics involved, but this East-West division seems more artificial to me. I find the standard of living today to be relatively balanced, and there is a common identity. Berlin is a great example of this: no one asks anymore if you are from the East or the West. I see the differences as being more regional—city or state, North or South—in that regard there are many differences.

There is another point: when I speak with artisans or people from industry [about eastern Germans], particularly in small or mid-sized companies, I often hear positive things. In that aspect, being an Easterner is actually more of a strength. Eastern Germans are considered disciplined, reliable and generally pleasant people to work with. They often have a real passion for their profession, and when they start something, they see it through. I find those to be really positive attributes.”

Maya, 29 (Berlin)

“For me, 35 years of reunification means that living in the southwestern part of Berlin sometimes feels as if I were still living in "West Berlin." It means hearing [West Germans] make remarks about Eastern German dialects and seeing them caught off guard when I reveal that it is a dialect I grew up hearing in my family, even though I was raised in western Germany. It also means loving eastern Germany while at the same time noticing the stares when I am there with my partner. Reunification, to me, is therefore both a story of connection and of divisions that never fully disappeared.”

Verena, 37 (Brandenburg)

“I’m an East German millennial. I feel my generation is the lucky one—we were too young to notice the turmoil that our parents (and grandparents) lived through after the Wende, but young enough to benefit from the opportunities afforded by this optimistic and hopeful period. I am now at the age my parents were when the GDR ceased to exist, and the older I get, the more I empathize with their mixed feelings about how German reunification was handled: losing one's identity and livelihood in one fell swoop, practically overnight; the feeling of complete disempowerment. In German public debate, we still tend to talk about “the East” as a problem that needs to be solved, but I think my generation has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to bring in a different perspective, one that is equal parts respectful, critical and curious.”

Nils, 38 (Saxony-Anhalt)

“The Day of German Unity is not a celebration of passion. If feels more like a day of a duty, celebrated by politicians more so than citizens. It’s like the birthday of an uncle you politely attend but don’t truly enjoy. Each year follows the same ritual: retrospectives, balance sheets, the question “Where do we stand, East and West?” But anyone who only looks back loses sight of the future. True unanimity can only emerge as the outcome of democratic dialogue—a dialogue that, so far, has not really taken place. We may have achieved political unity, but we have not yet achieved unanimity. The [East German] Round Tables of 1989 showed that democracy is not merely an institution—it is a process. If West[ern] Germany assumes that its old model of democracy can simply continue unchanged, it risks becoming the true ‘loser of reunification.’”

Thorsten, 51 (Saxony)

“Reunification was a stroke of luck, also because this process took place peacefully. It brought us freedom and prosperity on many levels. Unfortunately, the way Germany has developed is anything but positive. There are recognizable parallels to the GDR (eastern) times. Political decisions are increasingly being made out of a leftist-Green ideology (ex: illegal immigration or the so-called “energy transition”), instead of with real expertise. Opinions can only be freely expressed when one can live with the consequences. Those who think differently and criticize these politics are massively intimidated, brought up on charges, threatened, imprisoned, doxxed or their business is destroyed. That reminds me very much of GDR times.”

Andreas, 64 (Hesse)

“As much as the segregation of Germany was a disgrace, is reunification a historic achievement. Having family roots in Brandenburg, I feel strongly about this, whereas some people in western Germany, where I grew up, may not feel the same. The economic and financial efforts in the East have been enormous—and mostly successful. The emotional—and political—reunification is still ongoing and will require much more effort.”

Petra, 75 (Saxony)

“More than anything else, German reunification means for me the freedom to travel—that was the case from the very beginning. As a French teacher I had never had the opportunity to speak the language in their country. Suddenly a whole new world with other cultures opened up, one that I finally was able to get to know—an opportunity that I still take advantage of multiple times a year. In the GDR, the worldview was always very limited, and although I was not lacking anything because I didn’t know anything else, I later realized just how much I had missed. That makes me even more thankful that the youth today have these opportunities and can discover the world. When the financial means are there, everything is open to them—a gift, that I in particular know to cherish.”

There are transformative parallels between Germany in 1990 and 2025. Nearly 30% of those living in Germany today have an immigration background, sparking intense debates on what it means to be German that are reminiscent of the struggle to define a common culture throughout the 1990s. Political unity is also fraught in 2025; the far-right Alternative for Germany is currently the country’s most popular party, while centrist parties are losing ground. And while nowhere near the level of fiscal uncertainty following reunification, today’s economy is likewise at a crossroads on how to fend off stagnation through investment and innovation. However, the optimism expressed by the majority of the respondents is also evocative of the hopefulness that echoed across Germany on October 3, 1990. The responses from the younger Germans in particular show that although the work is ongoing, the path to unity is being paved by each successive generation.

Print