[German President] Köhler strokes Fires of East-West Discontent

Deutsche Welle | 09/13/2004 | DW staff

[Michael81Dus]

German President Horst Köhler has caused tension between the eastern and western regions by saying that it is unlikely the former East will ever have the same living and employment standards as the rest of the country.

German President Horst Köhler poured fuel on the simmering embers of Germany's current east-west discontent when comments suggesting that standards of living in the former East Germany cannot realistically be brought up to those of the more prosperous western states appeared in the German press on Sunday.

Köhler, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, increased tensions inside the country over the financial costs of reunification by stating in an interview with newsmagazine Focus that differences existed inside the country between north and south, east and west. Providing subsidies to bridge those differences, particularly in the six Eastern states, would burden the younger generation with very high debts.

"There were and are everywhere in the republic large differences in living standards," Köhler was quoted as saying. "If you want to level them out, you cement the subsidized state and place an intolerable burden of debt on the young generation. We must get away from the subsidized state."

Nearly 15 years after the Berlin Wall fell, unemployment in the eastern states is more than twice the level in the western part of the country. Under a so-called "solidarity pact" that expires in 2020, billions of euros are being transferred east in a bid to equalize living standards.

A special government-appointed commission recently concluded on the state of the eastern German economy and how difficult it will be to bring it up to western German levels. The report said the massive injection of more than €1.25 trillion ($1.5 trillion), into the eastern states since 1990 has not created jobs or helped to create a new manufacturing base.

Remarks fuel growing debate

Köhler's comments come at a time when protests against a government drive to trim social programs, in particular a new law that will cut benefits for the long-term jobless, are stoking seething resentment in the eastern states. The interview also comes just days after a report that suggested every fourth western German and every eighth eastern German wanted a return of the Berlin Wall.

His remarks, made a week before voters in the eastern German states of Brandenburg and Saxony go to the polls to elect state governments are likely to be exploited by the far-right parties as well as the Party of Democratic Socialists (PDS), the successor to the East German communist party. The reform proposals have been seized on by opposition parties, eager to fight the debate on an apparent east-west divide.

The ruling Social Democrats have already experienced the backlash of public opinion, tasting resounding defeat in the regional elections in the western state of Saarland, as citizens of the eastern regions fight back against the welfare reforms which will affect them the most.

Schröder calls on one country, one people

In response to Köhler's remarks, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder told Inforadio Berlin-Brandenburg: "We are one country, one people and we must do politics for all of Germany."

Christoph Matschie, the SPD leader in the eastern German state of Thuringia, told the International Herald Tribune that Köhler had "instigated a highly dangerous debate," adding it would strengthen feelings in the Western states that the East Germans have had enough financial support.

Reactions suggest concern

Wolfgang Böhmer, the premier of the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, said the constitution itself stipulates the goal of bringing poorer states up to the average standard of the more well-off ones, implying Köhler was questioning those principles.

Matthias Platzeck, the Social Democratic prime minister of Brandenburg who still hopes to continue sharing power with the conservative Christian Democrats after elections next Sunday, said it was "obvious to me there are differences among the regions. The question is how wide they are."

Iris Gleicke, a deputy minister for eastern German reconstruction, described the president's argument in the Sächsische Zeitung daily as "absurd" while Lothar Bisky, the leader of the ex-communist PDS told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "Whether deliberately or not, Köhler is questioning special support for the east. Horst Köhler cannot leave east Germans in the lurch 15 years after the big change."

[Michael81Dus]

I am so happy to have Mr. Köhler as my President. He is not a professional politician, and I hope he´ll never become one - in the best sense. Köhler speaks out the truth and defends diversity against the socialist call for equality.

The politicians have lied 14 years about the Eastern states, and finally someone dares to tell the truth - and immediately gets flamed for it!

http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,1594,1432_A_1326530_1_A,00.html

[Michael81Dus]

Ping

[FesterUSMC]

are you sure you could get those 2 dot above the o with a typewriter from 1972? come on! you can't handle the truth! :^D

[Michael81Dus]

It´s all a huge conspiracy. I can do something you can´t do. Na nanana na! ;-) Ä Ö Ü ß ä ö ü

[Lukasz]

German President Horst Köhler has caused tension between the eastern and western regions by saying that it is unlikely the former East will ever have the same living and employment standards as the rest of the country.

Do you think that such declaration, it is good reason for more on more Germans to move to the West? It may be a new wave of Easter immigrants.

[Arkie2]

Kohler "strokes" fires of East West discontent?

Stroking fires is a good way to get your hand burned! LOL!

[Michael81Dus]

A new wave? LOL. There are more than 100,000 East Germans moving EACH YEAR to the West! It´s hard to hear the truth, especially for socialists. And I tell you, those who are still there are in large parts commie-scum (30%).

[BnBlFlag]

Why don't they try the Free Enterpise system like the West did following the Second World War under Konrad Adenhauer?

[Michael81Dus]

Because the socialists believe in equality and not in competition.

[Lukasz]

When the last one will turn off the light, please someone to call to Warsaw, we can take over the land and rebuild Slavic culture in this areas. Beside of that we need more space for our great polish race. :-))

Seriously I understand those people, I understand you guy from the West, but why German politicians should support this exodus? I don’t say that they should give more money to the west.

[Lukasz]

money to the EAST

[Michael81Dus]

We are not supporting the Exodus, it´s just that the people in the East need to understand that there will be no equal standard of life. There may be a equal standard of chances, but it´s up to each individual what he/she makes of his/her chances.

[Grzegorz 246]

"The report said the massive injection of more than €1.25 trillion ($1.5 trillion), into the eastern states since 1990"

$1.5 trillion !!!??? I think that all Eastern Germany region isn't worth 1.5 trillion. How the hell It was spent ? This region isn't much better developed than Poland.

[Grzegorz 246]

"our great polish race" !?

polish !? Small "p" !? You should write it POLISH Race!! :-)

[lizol]

Ping

[lizol]

But it was obvious at the moment of reunification, that something like that was going to happen.

Let's imagine for example that Poland was divided along the line of Vistula, the western part was much richer and better developed and one day, suddenly both parts become one country. Who would stop a guy from Bialystok from moving to Poznan to earn 10 or more times more, if he's Polish (as the "Wessies" are), speaks the same language, is pretty well educated, and has a rich uncle in Poznan?

Do you think that someone thaught about it before reunification?

[THORE JAN SVEN]

LOL!

No problem. For 1.25 trillion Euros ($1.5 trillion) we sell it to you! But only, if you take the inhabitants too. My secret (no tax for Hans Eichel!) account-number in Switzerland is 67897474999548667398; Kantonalbank Zürich.

A hire-purchase would be okay with me too.

:-)

[Lukasz]

With inhabitants NO WAY! Beside of that I never heard about buying of Trojan horse, you should give me the horse as a present. (Do you ever read mythology?!) Even then I say no thanks! But keep trying negotiations just started. :-)

[THORE JAN SVEN]

My new very special offer: The complete German east for 1.15 trillion Euros with all Autobahns, Erika Steinbach and Rudi Pavelka inclusive. If you want we send you Horst Mahler and his friends from the NPD too. I am sure you will love to pay welfare to them! :-))

BTW - this is no trojan horse, because you know already what you are buying... Of course I read mythology. One of my sons name is Sven Ulysses (!) Beck as a tribute to the great sailor in the Mediterranean.

[Lukasz]

My new very special offer: The complete German east for 1.15 trillion Euros with all Autobahns, Erika Steinbach and Rudi Pavelka inclusive. If you want we send you Horst Mahler and his friends from the NPD too. I am sure you will love to pay welfare to them! :-))

Well a lot better, now I can think about your offer. Beside of that, who said that Steinbach and her teammates will be an equal citizens (maybe it is little racist but Hey no one is perfect :-)) I have several ideas what to do with this guys for example:
- circus (where I can find better clowns?)
- zoo (I have little problem, how to name above mentioned animals)
- very very realistic Gulag as a museum of course
- Scary house (but only if they all still have uniforms like Erica below)
- As for Erica I can make her dream come true, she may be (at last) really expelled person in …….Belarus. I’am sure that Lukashenko will build for her special center of expelled people in Minsk! He is not worse visionary than she is.

















PS1: Don’t think that we will take Schroeder, no no no he is just in the picture! :-)
PS2: Rest of the team will work only for water & food of course
PS3: As for your price, please remind me how many cash Germany owe Poland for WWII? :-)