2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the German Democratic Republic (1949—1990). The publication of new, compelling monographs by East German-born authors Katja Hoyer and Dirk Oschmann, timed to coincide with this anniversary, has sparked a heated debate in Germany. Participants are attempting to determine why, 35 years after the reunification of the western and eastern parts of the country, income inequality and differences in mentality persist, as reflected in protest voting. This review of the book by Professor of the University of Leipzig D. Oshman shows the author’s views on the causes of inequality, on the undemocratic, neocolonialist approaches of West German politicians to the “development” of “new lands” and on attempts to blame the inhabitants of East Germany themselves for the inability to resolve these problems.
Valery Lyubin (Wed,) studied this question.