Re-unification of East and West Germany

Hedgehog

Hedgehog

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3 October 1990 : Re-unification of East and West Germany


On 3rd October 1990, East and West Germany are reunited, ending 45 years of Cold War division. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Germany was divided between the four major Allied powers; the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain and France. In 1949, the United States, Britain and France combined their occupation zones to create the Federal Republic of Germany in West Germany, while the Soviets established the communist German Democratic Republic in East Germany.

Over four decades later, nearly a million Germans gathered at the Reichstag in Berlin to mark German reunification. At midnight on 3rd October 1990, the Freedom Bell, a gift from the United States, was rung, and Germany was again a united nation. The East German state, which had essentially collapsed in 1989, was dissolved, and its people became citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1993, the united Germany joined the European Union
 
Sadly I´ve to say something to that topic, old friend! The unity exists only on paper. The real thing is that east germans still will handled as people of second class. And the joining of the EU is at least dubious. If You would make a poll You would be surprised how many people not voted for that. One should keep that in mind if one is talking about that thing. As I said before in my article about the east german NVA - real unity for Germany is far away.

Greetings
 
Probably gonne take the same time the DDR existed to achieve real unity again... and that's still a few decades to go.
 
Sempai said:
.... The unity exists only on paper. The real thing is that east germans still will handled as people of second class..
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Why don't the West Germans like the East Germans?
 
And the joining of the EU is at least dubious. If You would make a poll You would be surprised how many people not voted for that.
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That is good to hear that there are some sensible Germans over there with national pride.
Lord Bane
 
Western Germany had to pay a lot of money to get the east up to Western standards which was partly pulled from each one's pocket for which probably a lot of people still bear a grudge .

For unknown reasons (at least to me) East Germans get paid less for the same job even with the same qualification (in the East). At the same time prices are exactly the same for the whole country making for worse living conditions in the east. So there is something going on but I don't know exactly why.

Sempai, please correct me, I still was pretty young when Germany got "reunited" and therefore don't know all that much about it. And history lessons in school usually (and mostly) center around the Third Reich era.
 
@POS: I can only guess what the problem is. But my experiences with most west germans is they think we are stupid and gutless. For example: My uncle was policeman in both countries. He was born in West Germany and went into the east before the wall was built. He was a good cop and did a good job. But he was never a slave of the authorities. That made his life often difficult. Could be a reason why he was taken over from the west police as the wall was broken. The first what his new boss said was "If it had be my choice You never would be here and work for the police.". Other things happened as a "west german" turk gang which tried to establish a drug trade in our district. They thought after they were beaten by the west german gangsters they could do their luck in the east because the east germans would have no experience with such stuff. We could them defeat - most are in jail now. Other west germans came and promised the blue from the sky - not one of them could keep his promise. And after a few times nobody believed the new guys anymore. On her working place a good girl-friend did good work and nobody had known she was east german. Often there were jokes made about east germans - she said nothing because it was to stupid. But one day it would said the east germans all are lazy and stupid. That was the point she get really really angry and shouted at her boss if he meant she would be lazy and stupid. The whole room fell silent and as her boss tried to upbraid her she yelled at him again how stupid they all are to judge the east germans and not to know she is one of them. She was the model female worker there and after that situation the boss apologized (in a insipid way but he did) because he didn´t want to lose his best worker.
I think (and that´s only my personal opinion) most west germans never lived in such circumstances as the east germans. And because that they think they are better humans as these. But they forget who made it possible that they could live as they did. As I said before the GDR paid all reparations for both german countries to the allies. There were more reasons why it was more difficult to live in the east. But it would last to long to write all down. Read the passage about the MfS in my NVA-article or better the whole article and You get a hunch what was going on.

@Earl of Grey: It´s a common opinion the west paid many money for the east. The real thing is the politics used the term of "Reconstruction East" for the introduction of new taxes (especially the soliarity tax) to finance the gaps of the budget and some costs of the operation Desert Storm and so on. It should last only one or two years. Now we have that tax for about 10 years. So I have to answer You back. :( I´m a layperson - sadly - and no finanical expert. So I have not the possibility to understand and explain all what is going on there. But I´m clever enough to see if there try somebody to hornswoggle me and my fellow countrymen. My speculation/theory is the politics still need a country that secures the economy of their own country. And what is better to use as the own citizens. Nobody would think such strange things if there is "normal" modus operandi at the same land to the same time. I hope it is understandable what I mean. I can´t explain it better with my poor english.
So yes, You´re right, Earl! Different paid for the same job. And perhaps that make my theory a little more understandable. West Germany profited in the past from the east and try to continue with that.
 
As a tourist, I can tell you that it is cheaper to visit the former Eastern Germany then Western Germany. Especially hotels are cheaper. So there still is a difference. In East Germany many towns have new rebuilded centres. Look at Dresden for instance.

I can still remember in the months after the fall of the wall all the little Trabants turning up in the Netherlands. Guess they all wanted to see more of the west ! Perhaps to see how much was true of the propaganda ?
 
Bert Blitzkrieg said:
I can still remember in the months after the fall of the wall all the little Trabants turning up in the Netherlands. Guess they all wanted to see more of the west ! Perhaps to see how much was true of the propaganda ?
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Most certainly. The West was something of an "El Dorado" for the "Eastees" (as they were called derogatorily). Western money was much better than their own one and the quality of "West Ware" as well. So it's only natural they expected everything to be better and all of their dreams to come true. And propaganada of course had a part to play as well...
 
@Hedgehog: If the pulling down of the wall would been the end of the war between east and west it would been a good thing. But the war is still going on - in another way - but it do. You are right with migration from east to west. That´s one reason for the east sector to build the wall. They feared total bleeding of the east. But that alone wouldn´t been enough to build it up. The other and main reason was that the Soviet Union forced the east german government to build the wall because they needed the GDR as a buffer area for the case the west had planned to invade the east. But an area without enough manpower wouldn´t be a buffer zone. Nikita Chruschtschow asked J.F.Kennedy if the soviets would build a wall around their sector of Berlin how the west allies would react. They got the consensus the west allies wouldn´t do anything and both sides could do what they want in their own part of Berlin - the other wouldn´t interfere. For a short time it worked and the dealings relaxed. But by time it changed again and the west derived advantage from the fear of the east before the changing of the cold war to a hot one. So a vicious circle was established. The east set up en masse and the west had to balance it with better military engineering. Proportional seen the soviet union was almost finished - economical. They had millions of dead due to the WW2. The west allies were in a better economical situation and had far more less losses. But they know the "unlimited" resources of men of the east. So it was a good/clever move to set up the east to death. All that caused that crazy situation.
And after the great war there was something needed to keep apart two virtual antagonised systems - the communism and capitalism. So it was a good idea for the allies to let the "Nazis" take that part. And furthermore one should note the east german republic was built as an answer of the building of the west german republic. Before that the east germans assumed that the reunification take place in short time. And that West Germany´s government proclaimed the sole procuration for both countries - without agreement of the East German´s government - one should note too. That only as a few facts - which not going along with the official propaganda. To get to the point - whole Germany hadn´t the possibility to start such things. The allies of both sides used the fallen and struggled Germany as cue ball for their interests. And the germans had to do as ordered. And in that we were very good - thanks to the ancient time before. Based on "Führer befiehl und wir folgen Dir!" (Führer command and we will follow!).

Greetings
 
During the Cold War there were some East German army divisions that were prepared to fight on the Russians side against West Germany, so I can understand why West Germans are a bit annoyed..;)
 
@POS: As I said in the NVA-article and an answer before. It hadn´t/wasn´t needed. As always it was a political thing what leads to that situation. - And by the way: If it had got an military conflict between both countries West Germany had had not only reason to be annoyed. It had had reason to be afraid. That´s my rock-solid conviction. But I´m glad it never came to a hot war between brothers.

cheers :)
 
as far as I remember DDR had quite a big army and they were real threat for Poland during Solidarity time - so called friendly invasion were prepared :)
 
A lot of East German athletes won medals at Olympic games and the world suspected the Russians were giving them drugs to help them. The West Germans must have been annoyed..
 
No, therefor they needed no help from the russians. They did it on their own. And the west germans did it too. Only thing is the east germans did it more scheduled. In East Germany sport was a weapon to show the west how weak their system was. So the way to become a top athlete was planned as a military operation. First step was You shewed good results in school sport lessons and recruiter came to see You "work". Over a time You were overwatched if Your performance was continuous or progressive raising. School-, district- and state championships between schools all over the republic were held. They too were used as test for Your performance. Next step was You went to a sport school if Your parents agreed. Sometimes the recruiter bribed the parents with presents and the possible future as a top athlete for their children. And to become a top athlete was one of the sparse ways to get out of GDR and in west countries. Now the life became really hard for the children and youngsters. One was forced to show best results. So Your day was completely scheduled for You. It started with early morning exercises - they vary in time and complexity depending on what for a sport You did. Then a short breakfast and You went to a normal school lesson for about 4 hours. Then followed further sport exercises and lunch. After siesta sports lessons till to the supper. 2 hours for Your own and then early to bed. And that about the whole weak. That leads to frustration and bad performance after a time. Because one was total exhausted. Many athletes broke down. Therefor there were psychologists who built You up again and boosted Your self confidence. You go out with new energy and will. Till to Your next break down. I tell You an example.
For a youngster Judo competitive athlete. A friend of mine. He was a little boy as he started training. On sport school he had to start 5.30 or 6.00 am with a 5 to 10 km course every morning and during all weather. After that they had half an hour for breakfast. Then 2 hours long lessons. Then fitness or heavy exercises. Lunch about 12.00 or 13.00 o´clock. Siesta till about 14.00 o´clock. 2 further hours of lessons. Then competition training for Judo. About 18.00 o´clock or 19.00 o´clock supper - depended of the training schedule. One hour sports and tactic theory for Judo. Freetime till 22.00 o´clock. Then they had to go to bed. Furthermore Your grade point average had to hold at least a minimum of 3 (in english a "C"???). If Your average fell under that You had to do more for school in Your freetime. If that didn´t help sport lessons were canceled and You was replaced for the next competition(s). But weekends were Yours. For his training he had two trainers - one older and one younger. The older was the good dad for the children. The younger one was the "drill-sergeant". The sergeant was official in charge. And he was the men the children saw most as their trainer. The "dad" trained them sometimes too but was contact person for the children if they had problems with the sergeant. He reassured them he would speak with the sergeant. But the children didn´t know the both worked together and the older trainer was really who was in charge. First later as they became youngsters or young adults they learned the truth. My friend broke down a few times and hated it. But today he says all in all it was the best what could happen to him. Through that kind of training and leadership he learned so much he never had done otherwise. He is thankful he was lead to his limitations. Hardened him for life he says.

greetings :)
 
Sempai;37058.. said:
In East Germany sport was a weapon to show the west how weak their system was......the recruiter bribed the parents.......life became really hard for the children and youngsters......Many athletes broke down.
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Yes, it let the whole world see what a dirty, filthy, godless thing Communism is.
 
PoorOldSpike said:
Yes, it let the whole world see what a dirty, filthy, godless thing Communism is.
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I think this was not a typical "communist" thing. At least not the communism as Karl Marx had envisaged it. More of a totalarism thing. But I agree, with the "dirty, filthy, godless" part.
 
@POS: We weren´t communism. We were socialism. In fact it´s never the system what fail - it´s always the human who fails. It would be of no interest which form a system would be if the human would be perfect. But that isn´t so and so all systems will break at any time. And in other countries it isn´t different with sports, doping, bribing and so on. One of the best example is the cycling scene and the swimmers. East Germany isn´t anymore and the cheating goes on. And where the cheaters come from? From so named free and democratic countries. As I said - it´s not the system. And what exactly is communism for You? Or socialism? It´s very easy to say that or that is dirty, filthy, godless or whatever. But whenever You search the reasons why it is how it is - You find at the end always the human as the origin of failing. And that´s the reason why learning is so important. To hinder or cancel failings of systems. To make sure there is a logical and fair-minded awarness. And the GDR had the best education system I know up to this point. And it wasn´t a question of money - even the EOS - Erweiterte Oberschule (similar with K12 in the states or grammar school in UK) - was for free. What You needed where good school grades. Nobody was leaving behind if he had problems with learning. In the worsest cases they came in groups which consists only of people with learning problems. Then there would learned in other ways till they had it and could go again with their former classmates. Sure there were people who didn´t want to learn. But even that people (with only 8 years of school or similar) were better educated as the most people today with a certificate of the tenth class.
Interesting fact – Short after the reunion the GDR-school system was abolished. Because it was socialistic. Now/today the german government would like it reintroduce – but as their own invention. Animated by the school system of Finnland. But that was widely adopted from the GDR. I know the official and political correct opinion is another. I´m not political correct. I´m a thinking individual. So I try to avoid to babble/parrot what´s correct at the moment if that isn´t true!!!


@Bert Blitzkrieg: You´re right. It was a totalirism thing. As it is now in a "democratic" way in whole Germany.

regards
 
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