Feeling price shock: returnees complain about high east prices!

Feeling price shock: returnees complain about high east prices!

Uckermark, Deutschland - The return to the East German homeland is increasingly overshadowed by a price shock, such as the response to a column of the Uckermark Kurier clearly shows. People who return for various reasons or opt for a life in East Germany report significant cost increases. Even despite lower wages, many citizens feel ripped off when they compare the cost of living.

The reader reactions are diverse and range from emotional back to sharp criticism of the political and economic situation. A reader who works full -time is forced to apply for state support for your child's daycare center. She particularly frustrated this: "One wonders where the money stays when you earn almost nothing." The topic of gastronomy is also addressed, where readers report exorbitant prices, some of which are comparable to those in Norway.

the economic reality in East Germany

The current situation is not only reflected in personal experiences, but also in broader socio -economic analyzes. According to böckler.de earn in the east with the same qualification up to 14% less than their colleagues in the west. These wage differences are often tightened by a lower tariff bond, which is less than 40% in some regions. In order to ensure the maintenance of the standard of living, many commute, for example a family to Hamburg to prevent losses.

Inequality and political decisions not only have economic, but also emotional effects. After 25 years of employment, a reader reports a high workload and a low salary, while a woman turns away from her hometown Neubrandenburg for political reasons.

return and new beginning

Nevertheless, there is a ray of hope: the emigration of young people from East Germany seems to be slowed down. Deutschlandfunk Kultur reports that more well-trained people return to their old homeland in order to actively work on social change. Writer Lukas Rietzschel, who comes from Görlitz, relies on the examination of the trauma of his ex-GDR parent generation with his work "spatial driver" and shows that regionality also has a lot of potential.

In Görlitz, a network of returnees who want to work on a modern and open coexistence are already formed. Such aspirations prove that despite the challenges that the everyday economic and social life brings, hope for change can also be used by the commitment of people.

The readers of the Uckermark Kurier especially appreciate the open discussion about the reality on site and demand more attention for the grievances. These voices make it clear: returning home is often anything but a simple step - the way is lined with challenges that need to be overcome.