That One Germany Thing

Occasionally, I will see that little hint of a problem still lingering from the German reunification.  If you are under the age of thirty in Germany....you've grown up in one Germany and accepted it.  If you are over forty.....you know the two-country concept and generally have an opinion that isn't exactly favorable over the unification.

On the list of forty topics to discuss with a German, this is probably closer to the bottom today, than near the top. There is acceptance to a united Germany, and a fair amount of heartburn over the tax business that is involved in bringing the lesser state into the better state.

German media avoids discussing the topic unless you come around to unification day, and then it's always a positive show over the undertaking.

The negatives?  A 'westy' will talk of a 'easty' not appreciating the new Germany, or the amount of money that the better side of Germany put up for their inclusion.  They will talk over the massive construction in the east, and how the west lost out on road construction.  Education money was lost.....pension money was lost....even conservation money was lost....at least in the mind of the 'westy'.

If you bring out the topic with a eighteen year old German.....they mostly sit there in amazement and never can understand why things were split up....to start with.  It's mostly because they slept though that history class in high school.

As an American.....traveling around....I can always note that minute when you know you've crossed the old border, and you just feel like something is slightly different.  It isn't the same type road.  You feel like the scenery is slightly different.  After a while, you accept it and just proceed on.  Maybe in a hundred years....it'll all blend right in and make perfect sense.

A generation or two will have to pass from this Earth....before everyone comes around to full acceptance.  That's my belief.  And that extra tax episode?  Don't worry....it'll never end. That's German logic.