A study shows: More than a fifth of East Germans feel more “East German” than “German”. Among West Germans, only one in nine people say they are “West German”. Why is that?
“Who is actually East German here, and if so, how many?” asks a study by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM). The answer, roughly expressed: Almost twice as many “Ossis” feel like they are – compared to “Wessis” who explicitly feel “West German”.
According to the study organizers, this is a relevant size. “If the political goal is to counteract the disadvantage of East Germans and every fourth leadership role in Germany should be filled by an East German, a valid definition of these East Germans is needed,” says Naika Foroutan, director of DeZIM.
“Geo-East Germans” and “Geo-West Germans”
The researchers divided the German population into several groups. “Geo-East” or “-West German” is someone who was born in the respective area of the former GDR or FRG.
This first shows that 8.6 percent of the population living in the old federal states was born in East Germany. In contrast, 17.8 percent of native West Germans live in the new federal states. According to the study, this only answers part of the question of who “actually is East German here”.
In a further step, the researchers determined who had an “Eastern background”. This includes people who were born in the GDR or the new federal states – and also people for whom this applies to at least one parent.
The study organizers then asked these people with an “Eastern background” whether they would rather describe themselves as “German” or “East German”. All respondents without an “Eastern background” were asked in the same way whether they considered themselves “German” or “West German”.
East Germans are often also called “emo East Germans”
There were quite clear differences here: 21.6 percent of people with an “Eastern background” identified themselves as “East German”. The study therefore talks about “emo East Germans”, i.e. people who explicitly see themselves emotionally as East German. Among people with a “Western background,” however, only 11.3 percent of those surveyed said they were “West German.”
The study makers speak of “new socio-East Germans” who have their own identity. Study leader Sabrina Zajak says: “We show how important the discussion about the underlying criteria is if we want to correctly quantify inequalities and disadvantages and thus enable evidence-based policies.”
The Federal Government’s Commissioner for the East, Carsten Schneider (SPD), uses the study as an opportunity to promote targeted measures to promote equal opportunities for East Germans: “We have waited thirty years for the problem of the underrepresentation of East Germans in social decision-making positions to solve itself .”