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Perceived price shock: returnees complain about high eastern prices!
Uckermark in focus: Returnees report high costs of living and political frustrations in East Germany.
Perceived price shock: returnees complain about high eastern prices!
The return to the East German homeland is increasingly overshadowed by a price shock, as the response to a column by Uckermark courier clearly shows. People returning for various reasons or choosing to live in East Germany report significant increases in costs. Even despite lower wages, many citizens feel ripped off when comparing the cost of living.
Reader reactions are diverse and range from emotional retrospectives to sharp criticism of the political and economic situation. A reader who works full-time is forced to apply for state support for her child's daycare. This particularly frustrated her: “You wonder where the money goes when you earn almost nothing.” The topic of gastronomy is also touched upon, where readers report exorbitant prices, some of which are comparable to those in Norway.
The economic reality in East Germany
The current situation is reflected not only in personal experiences, but also in broader socio-economic analyses. Loud Böckler.de Employees in the East earn up to 14% less than their colleagues in the West with the same qualifications. These wage differences are often exacerbated by lower collective bargaining coverage, which is less than 40% in some regions. In order to ensure that the standard of living is maintained, many people, for example a family, commute to Hamburg in order to avoid losses.
Inequality and political decisions have not only economic but also emotional consequences. After 25 years of employment, a reader reports a high workload and a low salary, while a woman turns away from her hometown of Neubrandenburg for political reasons.
Return and new beginnings
However, there is a ray of hope: the exodus of young people from East Germany appears to be slowing down. Deutschlandfunk culture reports that more and more well-educated people are returning to their old homeland to actively participate in social change. Writer Lukas Rietzschel, who comes from Görlitz, uses his work “Raumfahrer” to deal with the traumas of his former GDR parents’ generation and shows that regionality also has a lot of potential.
A network of returnees is already forming in Görlitz who want to work on a modern and open coexistence. Such efforts prove that despite the challenges that everyday economic and social life brings, hope for change can also come from people's commitment.
The readers of the Uckermark Kurier particularly appreciate the open discussion about the reality on site and demand more attention to the grievances. These voices make it clear: returning home is often anything but an easy step - the path is lined with challenges that have to be overcome.