East Germans Feel Betrayed by Reunification's Harsh Realities
The reunification of Germany brought hopes of unity and prosperity, but for many East Germans, it resulted in betrayal and hardship. The West German trade unions' behaviour towards their East German counterparts was criticized as cowardly and unsolidarical. The Treuhandanstalt, tasked with privatizing East German state assets, left a trail of job losses, community breakdown, and disillusionment.
Bernd Schmelzer, a former worker at the Bischofferode potash mine, recalls the closure of the mine and the loss of trust in politicians. He, like many East Germans, felt betrayed by the longed-for democracy. There was no talk of co-determination, and their fate was negotiated behind closed doors.
Katrin Rohnstock's book 'The Great Shock' and Lukas Stoll's investigation into the Treuhand files shed light on the harsh realities faced by East Germans. The sale and shutdown of factories led to the loss of work collectives, community, and common good. Many East Germans faced unemployment, existential fear, and homelessness. Former female employees shared memories of feeling no longer needed and fighting to keep company kindergartens open.
Stoll's investigation revealed that West German investors, such as Schaltbau AG Munich, played a role in eliminating Eastern competition. The Treuhandanstalt's activities left a lasting impact on the lives of many East Germans, as detailed in Rohnstock's book and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation's traveling exhibition, which has been touring nationwide since 2019.
The Treuhandanstalt's privatization policies and the behaviour of West German trade unions left East Germans feeling betrayed and disillusioned. The loss of jobs, community, and common good, along with the elimination of Eastern competition, has had lasting effects on the region. Books like 'The Great Shock' and investigations into the Treuhand files serve as reminders of this difficult past.
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