Soon, it will be one year since I moved from Kiel (Schleswig-Holstein) to a small city in Brandenburg, located between Hamburg and Berlin. This move was not just a personal milestone but also an unexpected history lesson – one that helps explain much about media coverage and political discourse in Germany.
(Note: The image is a stereotypical artwork – Eastern Germany consists of wonderful historic architecture, marvelous landscapes and high urban diversity – more on that in the future!)
Coming from a family with strong West German roots, my contact with the former GDR was minimal, apart from some inaccurate stereotypes held by certain family members. This made me wonder: Why, 35 years after reunification, is there still a clear distinction between East and West Germany in political culture, media narratives, and economic statistics? Wage disparities, political preferences, and the housing market all reflect these ongoing divisions. A striking example: 85% of large German corporations still have their headquarters in the former West Germany, leaving the East economically disadvantaged. At the same time, these unique conditions create opportunities that are still not fully realized.
From an outsider’s perspective, the historical and personal impact of these changes is not always visible. The city I moved to, for example, lost over 15’000 residents after the fall of the Wall—half of its population. Even after 2,100 unused apartments were demolished, vacant housing remains widespread. Government funding enables large-scale renovations that local resources alone could never sustain. For outsiders who are not dependent on the local economy, this means affordable space to rent or buy. But for long-time residents, it means living with below-average wages and limited job opportunities.
One of the few factors that recently led to population growth in these cities was the war in Ukraine, as refugees temporarily settled here. However, this is not a long-term trend. With an average age above 50, the death rate far exceeds the birth rate, and younger people continue to leave in large numbers. Projections suggest that Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt will lose 20% of their population by 2040. This demographic shift also creates challenges for infrastructure, which was designed for a much larger population and is now costly to maintain.
Much of this decline began when GDR-owned industrial plants and state-run enterprises were integrated into the West German system. The government-appointed Treuhandanstalt privatized these companies, often selling them at highly undervalued prices, leading to mass liquidations. As a result, 2.5 million people lost their jobs in a short period. This economic shock led to a deep loss of trust in the new system – one that persists today and explains, in part, the high electoral success of the AfD in these regions. Many outsiders fail to recognize this historical trauma, which reinforces false stigmas and hinders the development of solutions urgently needed for these areas.
At the same time, the mindset shaped by life in the former GDR offers valuable lessons. Resource efficiency, stronger local communities, and close family bonds—qualities that are fading in an increasingly capitalistic and fragmented society – were integral to daily life. The way the GDR tackled its housing crisis through prefabricated buildings (Plattenbau) also holds potential for addressing today’s urban challenges. While these structures are often seen as visually unappealing, their functionality and living standards were considered a luxury at the time. While aesthetics should not be ignored, scalable and modular prefabrication could be key to solving Germany’s current housing shortage.
To truly understand Germany’s present and future, it is essential to look beyond outdated stereotypes and engage with the realities of the former GDR. Many of the problems faced here foreshadow broader issues for the country as a whole. At the same time, for creatives and pioneers, the East offers opportunities for innovation – opportunities that are far more difficult to realize in the West.
