Young East Germans break with clichés and demand equality!

Young East Germans break with clichés and demand equality!

In a current discussion about East German identity and the persistent differences between Eastern and West Germany, young voices from Thuringia have their say. Mareike (25) from Mühlhausen and Paul (26) from Sömmerda have impressively addressed the stereotypes towards East Germans in a video of the YouTube channel "Follow Me.Reports". The two make it clear that the dividing lines are not only in the past, but can also be felt in the present. Paul, who drives through the area with his father's Trabi, describes his home with pride and understands this identification as part of his identity, while Mareike brings East German traditions into play - like the consecration and the famous Thuringian Bratwurst. Coolis reports of Yarikh, who does not perceive the differences in everyday life between East and West Germany as a negative, but as part of his life reality.

But what are the concrete challenges with which East Germans are confronted? The difference in the wages is clearly noticeable. On average, employees in the east earn 13,000 euros less than their West German colleagues annually. And a clear picture can also be seen in inheritances: While the average heir in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg is 250,000 euros after tax deduction, it is only 10,000 euros in East Germany. These facts promote the feeling of being of many East German, second-class citizens-a sensation that share 43 percent of those surveyed. The Federal Center for Political Education sees a discrepancy here.

fight against clichés

It becomes clear that clichés about the "right -wing radical east" do not reflect the whole truth. Mareike speaks openly about developments like Pegida, but points out that this radicality should not be trivialized. Paul, on the other hand, sees his hometown Dresden positively and invalidates the lively prejudices. This ambivalent view of your own region is addressed by the younger generation- you reject stereotypical jokes and rather want to promote understanding and openness between East and West Germany.

The perception of the differences is colored by history and the present. 65 percent of young East Germans identify strongly with their region and name the existing inequalities. A survey shows that 78 percent of the equality measures born after 1989 support, which refers to a self -confident occurrence and the demand for more fairer treatment. According to mdr , the perception of east-west conflicts among young people is particularly pronounced.

Boiled thinking pattern open

The participants of the interviews accompanied by the Federal Center for Political Education show that there is a distance from West Germans, but no strong emotional polarization. The media representation of East Germany is often perceived as unjustified or irrelevant for your own life. This discrepancy between public perception and personal identity shows that many young East Germans want normalization of their identity in everyday life, which is often not reflected in great discourse. The discourse on one's own identity is perceived as a necessary but not emotional challenge.

This is how Mareike and Paul's message remains clear: "Come over, visit us. And in return we come to visit you." With this invitation you want to promote understanding between East and West and show that the differences are not in the basis of your identity, but in the experiences and stories that each individual brings.