Abstract:
On October 3, 1990, the long and controversial journey towards
the unification of the two independent German states came to an
end, and the tough process of actual unification began. This was felt
with all the intensity in the first decade of German unification, especially
by former GDR citizens and included local political, socioeconomic,
and socio-psychological aspects.
The urgency of the issue is determined by the crucial role of Germany
in the modern world geographically, militarily and strategically,
as well as by a strong economy, which is considered a backbone
of a united European economy.
The economic, political, socio-cultural, and psychological gaps
between the two German states in the unification process was much
deeper than it initially appeared.
The low rate of economic development and competitiveness of
the former GDR demanded a large amount of money from the central
federation and parts of East Germany, resulting in a production stagnation
and an increase in unemployment in the east.
The socio-psychological incompatibility of East and West Germans
became a serious problem, especially between the middle
and older generations, resulting in tensions between them not only
during the first decades of unification, but even afterward.
Changes in the social priority system, demographic challenges,
and new regulations have wreaked havoc on a substantial portion
of East Germany’s population. Socio-economic reforms outpaced
psychological readiness with new problems arising, resulting in
the country being divided into two parts: the “Ossi” (East Germans)
and the “Wessi” (West Germans). People in the West and the East
had quite distinct lifestyles, rules of conduct, and social and cultural
spheres. In East Germany, the concept of “ostalgie” (sorrow about
the past; as a rule, only good memories were remembered)
arose from the disintegration of established economic, sociopolitical,
social, and cultural systems. Investment policy played a crucial role in the transformation
of the new lands economy. Subsidies from the federal government
strengthened their new capabilities. New programs were developed
as a part of the innovation policy framework, and collaboration
between businesses and scientific institutions deepened. Extreme
measures were taken in the eastern lands to ease the labor market
issues, and a large number of workers were forced to retire. Every
sphere was affected by the new policy. A large network was established
to develop skills, retrain staff and learn new professions.
These issues have been significantly eliminated in modern Germany,
and the generation born after the unification has been effectively
integrated into German society.
