The northern German city of Hamburg hosted national leaders and public figures who gathered on Tuesday to reflect on the 33 years since reunification.
German Unity Day — a public holiday throughout the country — marks the day in 1990 when communist East Germany joined the Federal Republic of Germany, otherwise known as West Germany, reuniting the two for the first time since the end of World War II.
The occasion was used to discuss Germany’s position in a time of upheaval in Europe and the world, but also to consider the successes, or failures, of integrating the East German states.
What did German leaders say?
Hamburg Mayor and President of the Bundesrat Peter Tschentscher addressed the 1,300 guests at the city’s renowned Elbphilarmonie concert hall.
“Not populism and polarization, but public spirit and cooperation are the order of the day. We all bear responsibility for this,” he said.
He said that times of crisis offer opportunities “to take new paths, to open horizons,” adding that “openness, willingness to change and confidence are necessary for this.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who once also served as mayor of the northern city, shared his comments on social media earlier in the day.
“German unity is our good fortune. 33 years ago today, confidence united our country. The confidence that divisions can be overcome,” he said.
“Today we are once again faced with upheavals and challenges. How fortunate that we are tackling this as a united country.”
Challenges persist 33 years after reunification
Others spoke of the challenges still being faced by the country, especially in eastern Germany.
Hamburg’s Catholic Archbishop Stefan Hesse discussed asylum seekers, calling for more solidarity and a reform of the EU’s asylum system.
“We need better refugee protection and a fair sharing of responsibility among all EU member states — in short, we need a humane refugee policy and one based on solidarity,” he said.
Economy Minister Robert Habeck spoke to the Funke group of newspapers about the importance of investing in the East. He aims to see a total of €50 billion (roughly $52 billion) in investments, including in projects such as chip factories and battery companies.
Dietmar Bartsch, the chairman of the Left party in the Bundestag, brought up the issue of pension inequalities between East and West, in an interview with the same group of newspapers.
According to Labor Ministry figures, the average monthly pension paid out after 40 years in the eastern states was €1,329, whereas in the western states, this number was €1,499.
“After 33 years of German unity, pension unity is not in sight,” Bartsch said.
ab/msh (dpa, EPD)
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