Researchers estimate that 25 years of financial support flowing from the former West into East Germany has cost just under €2 trillion ($2.8 trillion). In a study commissioned by the Welt am Sonntag, economists at the Berlin-based research association SED-Staat added up all transfers to East German states and individuals since reunification to come up with the astronomical figure. The difference between the social benefits collected by East Germans and their tax contributions made up the bulk of the price tag at about 60-65 percent of the total, the study showed. …