INTRODUCTION
The division of Germany into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) following World War II marked a significant chapter in modern German as well as European history. It not only physically separated East and West, but also established deep societal, economic, and political disparities between the two regions. Despite the fall of the Berlin Wall, and differences being less evident today, full unity has still not been achieved.
This paper explores how Germans, specifically those born after reunification, perceive the German division today, and in what ways it continues to shape their national identities and lives to the present day.
By researching the effects of the German division, we may gain a deeper understanding of national identity, historical memory, and the long-lasting consequences of political borders and separation, as well as the importance of reconciliation in divided societies.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
“Nobody has the intention of building a wall.” 1 declared Walter Ulbricht, then GDR head of state, during a press conference on June 15th 1961. Two months later, on August 13th 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall began. Sixty-three years later, Germany remains a divided country.
But how did this come to be?
In 1945, World War II ended with Germany’s defeat. The leaders of the allied powers — Josef Stalin (USSR), Harry S. Truman (USA), and Winston S. Churchill (Great Britain) — decided to divide the country into four occupation zones: Soviet, American, British, and French. Although this division was initially intended to be temporary, it soon became a fixture of international politics as the Cold War intensified. The three western zones became democratic, and in 1949, the constitution for the new Federal Republic of Germany, established from these three zones, was proclaimed. A new German state was born.
In contrast to that, a second German state emerged in the zone administered by the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic, a soviet-dependent dictatorship with East Berlin as its capital. 2
From then on, both German states continued to follow very different paths, politically, economically and socially.
West Germany embraced a capitalist economy and democratic governance, recovering from the war and achieving significant economic growth, known as the “Wirtschaftswunder” or economic miracle. This led to a high standard of living, with West Germans enjoying a consumer-driven American-influenced lifestyle and culture, whilst also successfully reintegrating into other western democracies, military alliances, and the emerging European institutions.
In the GDR, on the other hand, the Socialist Unity Party (SED) held all power and established a regime inspired by the Soviet Union. The SED regime integrated the GDR into the system of Soviet states and aimed at reshaping society according to socialist ideals.
The GDR’s economy was centrally planned, and while it achieved some level of industrial development, it lagged behind West Germany in terms of consumer goods and overall economic performance.

In 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall finalized the division of the country and from then on became a physical manifestation of the ideological, political, and cultural clash between the communist East and the democratic West. 3

Germany remained divided for over 28 years, until the fall of the wall in 1989 and the official reunification in 1990, a long period of time that allowed both parts of the country to grow and develop apart from each other.
Nowadays, over 30 years after the reunification, the division continues to impact economy, politics, culture, and society, even as Germany continuously works towards greater integration and equality.
METHODOLOGY
Given its importance, it is not surprising that a lot of work and extensive research has already been done on this topic. However, I noticed that much of the existing literature mainly emphasizes the economic or political aspect, whereas not as much research has been done on the social and intergenerational aspect, specifically from the point of view of the younger generations, which is why I would like to focus my research on this particular area.
I conducted interviews with five individuals, 2 from former West and 3 from former East Germany, all between the ages of 20 – 23 to gather insights specifically from a generation born and raised in a reunited Germany. The interviewees were chosen solely based on their age and different place of origins to obtain a broad variety of results and perspectives. Oral history methodology was the main source of data collection for this project, as it was the most effective to gather first-hand memories and experiences from people who have been personally affected by the impacts of the German division. By interviewing younger Germans from both former East and West Germany, I aimed to gain deeper insights into their personal perceptions, understandings, and experiences. The interview questions explored key themes such as prevailing stereotypes, economic disparities, cultural traditions, and regional identities.
INTERVIEWS
During my research, I quickly realized there were vast differences in answers of those who grew up in the West vs the East.
“Yes, sure we can do an interview, but I might not have much to say” or “I don’t know much about this”, was the initial reaction of everyone from the West that I asked for an interview.
When I did do the interview with two of them, Annika and Theresa both described their life as barely influenced by the division. While Annika mentioned that it was never a significant topic at home, Theresa stated that her knowledge of the East came primarily from family stories and schooling rather than first-hand experience. For them, the division’s impact was a rather distant concept, more a part of history lessons than everyday life. They both also remembered stories of other young people from the West who moved to the East due to more affordable living conditions there, showing a shift towards a more pragmatic and less ideologically driven view of the divide. In general, when they did think of the division or the East they had a rather neutral opinion with not much bias, both having enjoyed an upbringing that fostered an identity as simply “German” rather than “West German”. However, they also noted that, especially among older generations negatives views or stereotypes of the East may prevail, which might also still influence younger people,
“West Germans perhaps indirectly differentiate themselves from the East sometimes. I never really thought of myself as a West German, but I always saw the East as the East.”, Theresa explained, “I would rather identify as German than West German, but if someone tells me they come from the East, then that’s a bit different.”, she added. 4
This highlights an underlying “othering” of the East, which aligns well with what the interviewees from the East told me, who generally had a more immediate connection to the division.
Madleen, Joana, and Leonie, all from the East, had a rather good idea of what they consider to be “typically east”, remembering distinct architecture, meals, and cars that are still well known by many who grew up in the former GDR, old and young generations alike:
“Nowadays there is still this feeling of nostalgia, especially with the older generations. […] Personally because my family is relatively young I grew up with a lot of guiding from older generations including certain toys, movies, tales, food and household items that are now “vintage” and displayed in museums. Furthermore, I noticed that even though we didn’t live in that time, we have a big interest in certain GDR goods […]. They are still available, relatively affordable, easy to repair and especially still have a huge fan base behind them. Apart from that, the food served here is still a big difference between East and West. Things like Souljanka, Goulash, Selter-Kuchen, Würzfleisch and many more dishes are nearly exclusively presented in the East and still eaten fairly regularly by all generations. A distinct culinary way that unites the East with its nostalgic properties.”

This leads not only to a feeling of nostalgia, but can even influence national identity. Despite being born and raised in a reunited Germany, Leonie stated to identify as East-German:
“I of course identify as German, but primarily as an East-German. Because of all these nostalgic memories I have a big love for the “vintage” and old things that my grandparents had and gave me on my way” 5
Madleen also noted a trend among younger people who express a desire to have witnessed the GDR era, again reaffirming the sense of collective memory and nostalgia within the population of the East:
“Even though I don’t understand personally, I have the impression more and more younger people wished they could have witnessed the GDR”.
However, not all perspectives of the East were positive:
“When I think of Eastern Germany, I think of huge ugly buildings that make me really depressed when I think of them. I realized how different the cities looked when I travelled to Augsburg, there are none of these ugly buildings there”, said Madleen 6
“According to my mum, little has changed in some places since the reunification or has even become emptier, for example due to factory closures or people moving to the West”, Joana added. 7
This visual disparity is the result of deeper ideological and economic differences. These disparities were also a recurring theme that all interviewees, from West and East, commented on, often leading to negative stereotypes still persisting today:
“I think I have stereotypes myself, of East and West. When I think of the East, I think of being poor; the economy is weak there compared to the West.” 8 and “There is still a stigma of the well-off but snobbish west versus the uneducated and poor east” 9, Madleen and Leonie noted.
“Sadly, it will probably take many years before the East can catch up, so in the meantime, a lot will stay the same or grow more radical. The young people will try to leave for better opportunities […] It is truly a shame that even after over 20 years of reunification, we still have so many places that need modernization and investment of time and money. Because of the lack of change, the East is becoming more and more right-wing.”, Leonie added further.
However, there is also a reoccurring hopeful note in all their narratives:
“You notice, especially among young people whose parents grew up after the fall of the Wall, that this East/West mentality is no longer so widespread. Young people only know Germany as one unified country, and therefore there are fewer prejudices. In a few generations, it will no longer matter what used to be East and West. Especially if people continue working on balancing out the differences, e.g. in salary, education or living standards. Many people move from A to B these days, and East and West then “mix”. That’s why I think it’s becoming less and less important.”, 10
Joana explained, highlighting a path forward and suggesting that younger generations are beginning to bridge the divide, resulting in a permanent decrease of divides.
DISCUSSION
The interviews showed a variety of different perspectives regarding the East-West Divide, however, several key topics – the most prominent being differences in food, architecture, and economy – can be observed throughout all of them. Yet, as seen in the interviews, respondents from former East and West Germany still tend to hold slightly different views. To understand the roots of these differences, it is important to consider the factors that have shaped each region.
Current differences in cuisine and architecture, for example, may reflect the broader ideological divide. The East emphasized Soviet-influenced food and housing styles, while American cultural influences shaped the West. These differences have been passed down from generation to generation, and as a result are still evident today. Furthermore, differences were not only political, but also deeply embedded in the identities of those who lived through this period. The East was often constructed as the “other” by the West, and vice versa. This mutual othering reinforced a sense of division that persisted even after reunification, as the identity of being an “Ossi” (East German) or “Wessi” (West German) became ingrained in the collective consciousness. These, even nowadays not uncommon, terms, continue to create a subtle divide and “other” those born in a different part of the country. Although the impact of the division may seem less significant these days, examples like the usage of such terms reveal how the division can still persist, surfacing in language and identity.
In general, I found that most young Germans nowadays feel increasingly less impacted by the division, especially at first sight there does not seem to be much of a direct impact anymore. Nevertheless, when delving deeper, a lot of old memories and experience, that often times still show a clear link to the former division, start to be revealed. Therefore, it may be concluded that the divide nowadays is more a part of people subconsciousness, mostly not noticeable in everyday life, but still there once one actively starts looking for it.
CONCLUSION
It is clear that the divisions impacts, though less obvious, still continue to exist today, that even those who never experienced a divided Germany first-hand, can still feel a distinction between East and West. This is especially evident in the parts that used to be East Germany.
From the Western perspective, both interviewees described a sense of normalcy and a unified national identity, not much affected by the East-West divide. The Eastern interviewees, on the other hand, had a much more direct connection to the division, recalling both negative but also positive experiences and memories of growing up in the former GDR.
All in all, these stories underscore a significant point: while the physical and political division of Germany ended over three decades ago, its socio-economic and cultural impacts remain, less than before but still evident. The younger generation, though more integrated and less influenced by the direct memories of division, can still feel the impact today, an ongoing influence that still differentiates the experiences of growing up in the East versus the West.
In conclusion, the experiences of Annika, Theresa, Madleen, Joana and Leonie provide valuable insights into the complex consequences of Germany’s division. They show both the progress made and the challenges that remain in creating a truly unified Germany. Through their stories, it is possible to see the enduring impact of history on present lives, but also the hope that in the future divides will become a part of the past.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schneider, Gerd and Toyka-Seid Christiane. “Teilung Deutschland.” Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 2024. https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/lexika/das-junge-politik-lexikon/321238/teilung-deutschlands.
Ulbrecht, Walter. “Nobody has any intention of building a wall.” rbb. The Berlin Wall – A multimedia history, June 15, 1961. https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/walter-ulbricht-building-a-wall-530/.
Würz, Markus. “Geteiltes Deutschland: Gründerjahre.” Lebendiges Museum Online, Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, October 16, .2014, http://www.hdg.de/lemo/kapitel/geteiltes-deutschland-gruenderjahre.html.
Interviews
Interview with Annika, by Daria Peters, 16.05.2024
Interview with Madleen, by Daria Peters, 20.05.2024
Interview with Joana, by Daria Peters, 24.05.2024
Interview with Leonie, by Daria Peters, 09.06.2024
Interview with Theresa, by Daria Peters, 30.06.2024
- Ulbrecht, “Nobody has any intention of building a wall.” ↩
- Schneider and Toyka-Seid, “Teilung Deutschland.” ↩
- Würz, “Geteiltes Deutschland: Gründerjahre.” ↩
- Interview with Theresa, 30.06.2024 ↩
- Interview with Leonie, 09.06.2024 ↩
- Interview with Madleen, 20.05.2024 ↩
- Interview with Joana, 24.05.2024 ↩
- Interview with Madleen, 20.05.2024 ↩
- Interview with Leonie, 09.06.2024 ↩
- Interview with Joana, 24.05.2024 ↩