Day of German Unity

[Haltickling]

Today (Oct 3) is a national holiday in Germany, to celebrate the reunification of Germany in 1990.

We all welcomed the reunification with tears of happiness in our eyes at that time, but long since we have been forced to realize all the problematic side effects: higher taxes, a completely deteriorated economy, increasing unemployment, and so on.

Sure, we can now travel to all the parts of Germany which belonged to the GDR, we can meet our relatives there, and we've got back our sovereignty as a state. But we're far from being reunited in reality: The former GDR regions have an unemployment rate of 6-10% higher than in the West, they get about 10% smaller wages for the same work, and the general standard of living is quite a bit lower in the East. Many people feel they wouldn't have voted for reunification if they had known what it would cost. And people from both parts of Germany often share a joke: We envy China. Why? Because they still have a wall... 🙄

But the Chinese have a proverb: "The memory paints with a golden brush." A lot of things have improved for both parts, but we haven't noticed them clearly; we only noticed the cost for these small benefits. Pessimism is rampant in Germany now (as well as most everywhere in the world), but we can't change the past, only the future.

Just my 0.02 € ramblings on this day...

 

[milagros317]

Best wishes to you, Hal, and to Marauder, Elena, Wishiwish, and all the other German members of the TMF on your national holiday.

I was in Berlin in the summer of 1970, and explored on both sides of the wall (easy to do with an American passport at the time). Whatever problems unification has brought, you would never want to return to those days.

 

[Moses25]

Shnell!!...er, Furghenugen...(sp?)

I was actually on a school trip in Mother Russia when the Berlin Wall fell...kewl, eh?

The chinese also have another proverb: "May you live in interesting times." Which we clearly all are, but esp. you, Hal.

It's always a good thing to get the perspective from someone overseas.

Best wishes on this very special day. 🙂

Cheers.😀

 

[Haltickling]

Thanks, milagros and Moses.

On a side note, it would do us all good to remember that there are still countries divided in two, with very hardened frontiers: Korea, and soon Israel/Palestine. Korea would face much more serious problems if reunited now, as the economy in North Korea is in even worse shape than East Germany's ever was. But Israel and the Palestinians would need unity very much to gain peace. Small hopes for change in both countries...

 

[red indian]

Interesting post Hal.........

.....I remember predicting the problems you now describe, at the time of the wall falling, I was accused of being a cynic and of failing to appreciate the significance of the moment. It was obvious that west germany as it was then called, was going to have to pick up the bill for adopting its poor neighbour.

I gather that you now have a TV programme dedicated to GDR nostalgia! Good god! how fast peoples memories fade! do they really long to own a trabant rather than a 5 series beamer? .....bollocks do they!

Still, never mind ,"every cloud" as they say, if things continue as they are, the UK is set to take over from Germany as the world number 3 largest economy.

 

[Neutron]

Still...

Even though there's not a historical precedent for Palestine, and we shouldn't pretend there is one, I'd like to say.

Have a good day Germany, enjoy, prosper, and reflect upon what it is to be German, ya'll might have trouble dealing with each other at times, but in the end you remain united, and that's what counts. 🙂

Tron

 

[Haltickling]

Re: Interesting post Hal.........

.....I remember predicting the problems you now describe, at the time of the wall falling, I was accused of being a cynic and of failing to appreciate the significance of the moment. It was obvious that west germany as it was then called, was going to have to pick up the bill for adopting its poor neighbour.

You're quite right, red, that would have been the reaction of most Germans at that time.

The GDR nostalgia shows are the latest trend on German TV. The positive aspect is that most West Germans get at least a glimpse of everyday's life in the GDR (most had no idea how dull and primitive the life there usually was). But you can be sure that these nostalgia shows don't include the STASI and the denunciations of colleagues and neighbors...

Don't ridicule the Trabant, the most silent car in the world: It was the only one where you could block your ears with your knees during driving... 😛

Trabant

 

[the_Baron]

ah gutten tag from der baron! und best wishes for increasing social satisfaction and peace in Germany.

my friend just returned from berlin and oktoberfest in Munchen, and he was warmed by the progress - an outsider's view, i understand.

 

[Dragon321]

not even me, with all my cynicism and poverty of soul, would begrudge you well wishings on the day of reuinification. of course...

no. i will not darken this thread's optimism with my childish musings and wannabe angstiness. so...full...of...hate....

 

[Neutron]

Plus The GDR..

Did a hell of a job wrecking just about every decent ecosystem in the country.

I'm curious, how do Germans celebrate reunification day?

Tron

 

[Haltickling]

Re: Plus The GDR..

Did a hell of a job wrecking just about every decent ecosystem in the country.

I'm curious, how do Germans celebrate reunification day?

Tron

Quite right, Neutron, they really were master polluters.

Well, this day consists mainly of many speeches by various politicians. The official celebration happened at Magdeburg, where they decorated the whole city center. A mass was held at a church in Leipzig, where the reunification really began in 1989. TV stations broadcast many documentations about the various historical aspects of the GDR. Most people, however, are just happy about a day off work (or off school), and they enjoy a long weekend.

Originally, the "Day of German Unity" was held on June 17 to remind of the workers' revolt in the GDR in 1953 (which was steamrollered by Soviet tanks). But after reunification, they chose Oct 3 because that was the date of the reunification treaty. They had considered to choose Nov 9 because that's when the Wall in Berlin fell in 1989, but they decided against that date, because it was also the day of the "Reichskristallnacht", the first big nazi pogrome of Jews.

Curiosity satisfied?

 

[Neutron]

Yeah For The Most Part..

I was wondering if there are any public fun type celebrations, like for instance the Fireworks displays and picnics/bbQs we have in the US on July 4th. I know it's not technically a German Independence day because the West was always independent, and the GDR was in theory, if not in fact. (Referencing your comment about Soviet Tanks steamrolling). Given the fact it is a huge day for Modern Germany I thought maybe it was much like the US Independence Day.

I got to go to a former GDR Reactor 🙁. They didn't pay a whole lot of attention to independent safety features or fire protection. In fact it was appalling. Is the Ruhr Valley in the former GDR?

I'm sort of curious, a generation of Germans grew up in the GDR.. How did they integrate into the West? I'm wondering if there is any distrust, or were they happy to get the Soviets out?
I've always wondered because NATO always assumed the soviets coming through the GDR was a given in case of a war, and sort of assumed the GDR natives would help against their fellow Germans. I never quite bought that theory, then again at times the Germans were a sort of fractious lot, maybe because of the method the country was originally brought to together.


Tron

 

[Knox The Hatter]

I distinctly remember the economic commentators back in 1990 predicting that Western Germany would suffer from an acute case of indigestion for many years as a result of reunification. I myself didn't think it would last this long.
I don't know how ANYONE could wax nostalgic over the GDR. I do think, though, that if nothing else, the GDR represented for many people a form of security, as opposed to the uncertainty of today. That security for some outweighed having to wait on a long list for years for der Trabbi, or, for that matter, the Stasi harrassing one of your family members for opinions voiced at some affair.
I have absolutely no doubt that Germany will rebound economically...

 

[Neutron]

Not Until..

They get rid of that European Union bullshit.

Tron

 

[Haltickling]

Well Neutron, I think they had a fireworks display in Magdeburg, but it's already a bit cold for picnics here (between 50 and 60 F). Actually we don't have any traditions for this day yet, it's probably too new. Maybe that'll develop over the coming years...

You're right, reunification is quite different to gaining independence. And flag-waving smacks too much of the nazi days for us.

And no, the Ruhr valley is in the west, near the Dutch border. They had similar pollution problems, but that has been taken care of by rigid regulation of emissions. Not so bad anymore.

The "GDR-generation" integrated so-so. Many of the young people there are jobless, and they hang around all day. During the communist regime, the obligatory youth programs gave them something to do at least. That's gone now, and they have to fend with a lot of frustration. Small wonder that the crime rate in the east is higher than in the west, and there are a lot more neo-nazis among them now, as they have claimed the place of the former communists.

I don't think that widespread resistance would have existed in case of a Soviet army marching through the GDR. Remember, the Russians were already there in strength, and they were feared by one part and accepted by the other part of the population.

Knox, as for the GDR nostalgia, try to see it through the people's eyes: The average person had no real contact with the Stasi if they held their tongues and didn't have any contacts to the West. Nobody was jobless then, and families were take care of much better than now. Each factory had its own cost-free kindergarten for example, and the youth programs kept the kids and teenagers busy. They had arranged some sort of peaceful coexistence with the regime, and it worked well.

Okay, they couldn't get the western products, and sometimes it was hard to buy anything worthwhile. But what's the situation now? They see all the wonderful capitalist things, which many can't buy because they live on unemployment money and welfare. What has changed? Only the desires are higher, not the actual buying potential. That makes some people wish the old days back when they were more content.

 

[Neutron]

Hmmm All Very Interesting Thoughts..

I correspond with a russian female, she's 26 and was lucky to get a job with Nestle. I guess getting into the food industry is good over there. People have to eat so you'll always work.

You raise some very good points about the former GDR. I guess after Stalin was gone a lot of the psychotic social paranoia left too.

It's sort of amazing how people are, no matter how mentally uncomfortable many may have been they'll always long for when they were physically most comfortable. I guess in Germany it's magnified because the people as a whole never really got to establish a national identity.

The Ruhr was a steel region correct?

Tron

 

[Haltickling]

Hmm, I don't know if that's true about the reducing social paranoia, Neutron. The Stasi (secret police) had very stalinistic methods: They employed over 100,000 informers in all parts of society, each house had its own "house warden" who had to keep a book about tenants' absences, practically all mail was opened and all phone conversations were bugged. They even kept a "scent archive" with millions of samples of personal items to give search dogs the right scent if that person was suspect for any alledged misconduct, and the Stasi wanted to find them...

Are you familiar with the "Pyramid of Needs"? The broad base of the pyramid is formed by all the substantial human needs: Eat, drink, sleep, sex, and health. Next comes the level of material needs: A modest living standard with fridge, TV, car, some savings. There are one or two levels following that I can't remember for sure. Only the very narrow top of the pyramid consists of immaterial needs: Individual freedom, knowledge and education, and power.

You can only aim for the next level when all lower level needs are satisfied. That's why it is so difficult to bring democracy and our western lifestyle to Third World countries where a considerable amount of people are still starving. Mind you: That's not my own theory, that's what's taught in business schools all over the world (except in communist countries).

Lastly: The Ruhr region is still the most important industrial region in Germany. It consists of about a dozen big cities which have grown together. Mostly there were coal mines and coke (refined coal, not Coca Cola or cocaine) plants, steel plants, chemical industry, and oil refineries. The area is directly connected to the Rhine which gives them quick and easy access to Europe's biggest port Rotterdam-Europoort. Most of the coal mines and many steel plants are out of business now, despite of heavy state subventions.

 

[Neutron]

Yes I'm Familiar With That Theory..

Social pyramiding was what we called it in college. What always surprises me about that theory is how much people will put up with so long as they're eating and they're warm. You'd think this would give them adequate time and means to start questioning the system. Yet it usually takes hunger to get someone to start questioning the status quo. I've always wondered if that's why so many madmen became the more successful revolutionaries (or in Hitlers case an evolutionary, I've never been sure..) They spent so much time meeting basic needs that they started asking questions they never really wanted the answers to, so when they started getting the answers they realized even if they were eating they'd be in the same societal trap. Am I making sense?

I need to find some good books on early Germany.

Tron