East Germany: a Country disappeared from the map

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– Then tell us what life in East Germany…

I’m sitting in the Berlin beer with my German colleagues, with Peter and kat, and could not believe my ears:

– Are you kidding me?! Dresden you two hours away by car. You really never was in the former GDR?

My friends look at each other confusedly:

Never. Do you know why you do not want. We’re the typical “wessi” (West Germans), and between “wessi” and “Ossi” (East Germans) always lies invisible trait. We’re just different.

But the Berlin wall has fallen more than a quarter century ago! – at a loss I exclaim.

“She’s not here. Was well worth it. It’s just that people’s eyesight.

We are well aware that it was BEFORE the fall of the Berlin wall, but almost not known. We know nothing about the tragedy of “socialist” Germans, with such enthusiasm broke the wall and opened the arms of his “capitalist brethren.” They had no idea that their country will disappear in a year that there will be no equal merger agreement that they will lose most of their civil rights. Happens ordinary Anschluss: the capture of West Germany and East complete absorption of the latter.

– The events of 1989 is very reminiscent of the Ukrainian Maidan, ” recalls historian Brigitte quôc. – World media live broadcast, as thousands of young Germans breaking down the walls, and applauded them. But nobody asked, and what he wants 18 million people in the country? East Germans wanted freedom of movement and a better socialism”. They hardly imagined how capitalism looks like. But there was no referendum, like you, in the Crimea, and thus the “Anschluss” was absolutely not legitimate!

– After the beginning of perestroika and Gorbachev came to power, it became clear what he expects of the GDR without the support of the Soviet Union, but the funeral could be worthy, ” says Dr Wolfgang Schelike, Chairman of the German-Russian Institute of culture. – United Germany was born in the result of the hasty and unsuccessful childbirth. Helmut Kohl, Federal Chancellor of Germany, did not want to pull, for fear that Gorbachev will be removed. His slogans were: no experiments, FRG stronger and history has proven that it is BETTER than the GDR. Although the intellectuals knew that if you pour all West German laws for one night in another country, it will cause long term conflict.

On 3 October 1990, the GDR ceased to exist. Germany has created a special humiliating office for the custody of the former GDR, like the East Germans were backward and irrational children. In essence, East Germany just surrendered. In just a year, almost two and a half million people lost their jobs the total number of working 8.3 million.

First expelled all public officials, ” says Peter Steglich, former Ambassador of the GDR in Sweden. We, in the Ministry of foreign Affairs, received a letter: you are free, the GDR no longer exists. Me, unemployed, saved my wife is a Spaniard, who left to work as a translator. I was a few years before retirement, but for young diplomats, has received an excellent education, it was a tragedy. They wrote statements to the German foreign Ministry, but none of them got the job. Then destroyed the fleet and army, the second power in the Warsaw Pact countries. All the officers were dismissed, many with miserable pensions, and no pensions. Left only technicians who knew how to handle Soviet weapons.

From the West arrived important gentlemen administrators, the purpose of which was to dismantle the old system and introduce new, to make “black lists” of unwanted and suspicious and make a thorough cleanup. Created a special “qualification Commission” to identify all “ideologically” intermittent workers. “Democratic” Germany decided to deal harshly with “totalitarian GDR. Wrong in politics, only losers.

January 1, 1991, dismissed all the employees of the Berlin legal services as to ensure the democratic order. On the same day at the University. Humboldt (the main University GDR) eliminated the historical, legal, philosophical and pedagogical faculties and fired all professors and teachers without saving experience. In addition, all teachers, professors, scientific, technical and administrative employees in educational establishments of the former GDR was told to fill out questionnaires and provide detailed information about their political views and party affiliation. In case of refusal or withholding information they are subject to immediate dismissal.

Started “cleaning” in schools. Old textbooks as “ideologically harmful” was thrown into the garbage. But sederowsky system of education was one of the best in the world. Her experience, for example, borrowed Finland.

– First, fired the Directors, members of which ruled in the GDR Socialist unity party of Germany, ” recalls Dr. Wolfgang Schelike. – Lost my job a teacher of the Humanities. The rest had to survive, and to them came the fear. Teachers have not gone underground, but ceased to discuss, to Express their point of view. But it affects the education of children! Fired also and teachers of the Russian language. Compulsory foreign language was English.

Russian, like Czech or Polish, you can now learn optional third language. As a result, East Germans forgot Russian and never learned English. The atmosphere everywhere is completely changed. Had to work elbows. Disappeared notions of solidarity and mutual aid. At work you are no longer a colleague, and competitor. Those who have a job, stick to the seventh sweat. They have no time to go to the movies or to the theater, as it was in the GDR. And the unemployed fell into degradation.

A lot of people lost their homes. And now for some ugly reason. Many East Germans lived in private homes, badly damaged during the war (West Germany suffered much less than the Eastern). Building materials were in short supply. For forty years the owners of the houses, restored them, collected literally stone by stone and could now be proud of its beautiful villas. But after the fall of the wall from the West were favorite relatives who used to send cards for Christmas, and they stated that they have a stake in these homes. Come on, pay! Where do former “gederovci” savings? He received a good salary, had social security, but he is not a capitalist. Oh, no money? We don’t care. Sell your house and pay our share. It was a real tragedy.

But most importantly – there was a complete change of elites. From the West flooded not too successful there the Germans, who immediately seized all the high paying posts in the former GDR. They were considered trustworthy. Still in Leipzig, 70 percent of the administration are “wessi”. Yeah, no mercy for the powerless. In fact, the entire control over a former Republic fell into the hands of the new colonial administration.

– The Soviet Union left the GDR just like that, not even no agreement between the owners of the FRG and the GDR, with bitterness says the former diplomat Peter Steglich. Smart, statesmen foresaw conflicts over ownership and the Anschluss of the GDR instead of reunification on an equal footing. But there is a saying Gorbachev: let the Germans do understand. This meant: the strong takes what he wants. And strong were the West Germans. Started a real colonization of the GDR. Removing power from the local patriots, denigrate them and humiliate, Western colonialists embarked on the most “delicious” part of the program: complete privatization of public assets in the GDR. One system intended to completely devour the other.

At the state level to Rob it skillfully, gracefully, white gloves and very quickly until the victim recovered. The GDR was the most successful country in the Warsaw Pact. Such a big chunk had to swallow immediately, without hesitation.

First, it was necessary to show to future victims, a gesture of generosity, setting the exchange rate of the East mark to the West for GDR citizens one to one. About it loudly all West German Newspapers! In fact, it turned out that can be exchanged only 4,000 brands. More than this, the exchange went at the rate of two East marks for one West. All state-owned enterprises of the GDR and small businesses can exchange their accounts only with a ratio of two to one.

Consequently, they lost half of their capital! However, their debts were translated at the exchange rate of 1:1. Don’t need to be a businessman to understand that such measures led to the complete ruin of industry in the GDR! In the autumn of 1990 the volume of production in East Germany declined by more than half! Now Western “brothers” could condescendingly say about the frailty of socialist industry and its immediate privatisation in a fair and open environment.” But what the hell, fair conditions, if the citizens of the GDR did not have capital?! Oh, no money? Sorry. And 85 % of all industry of the country fell into the hands of the West Germans, who actively led her to bankruptcy. Why give a chance to the competitors? 10% went to foreigners. And only 5% were able to buy the true land owners, the East Germans.

The inhabitants of the GDR had no money, and the property fell into Western hands. And we don’t forget who sold us out. Gorbachev. Yes, there was a demonstration for freedom of movement, but no one demanded that the GDR disappeared from the map of the world. This would need to the corresponding position of Gorbachev, a man who fail the examination history. This “glory” he will not take one. What is the result? East Germans are much poorer than the West. Many studies shows that we Germans are “second class”.

All are suspected of having links with the Stasi. And about the “Stasi” “wassi” created now a legend – a pier, there were working animals. Like the CIA better! Would we have good intelligence, the GDR still existed.

For Germans work is all. Prestige, status, self-esteem.

People in the GDR knew clearly that lying is a necessary part of life, for different reasons. They often lied, and they knew that they were lying. This, oddly enough, did not prevent to live. Now imagine adults who worked all his life, and then they said that nobody needs you, your socialism was nonsense. They lost their jobs and in a moral sense punched in the face. It was a difficult time, disillusionment. But these people got up, started their business from scratch. They know that life is not a Paradise, success is not a gift, and any company can stay in the black right now.

Our eyes was the collapse of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, the GDR, the Warsaw Pact. The same thing can happen with NATO or the EU. When the idea Matures and seizes the minds of any legal act becomes void. If Germany will again become a strong independent nation that protects its interests, secret pacts will be the only archival dust.

 

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