This is rather interesting...

Poll: 24% of west Germans want Berlin Wall back

ERLIN (AP) — Fifteen years after the Berlin Wall fell, 24% of west Germans surveyed said they wanted it back, according to a poll published Saturday.

Germany has poured some $2 trillion into rebuilding the former East Germany, after the collapse of its communist regime led to reunification in 1990. But the east still lags economically, however, and is often blamed for Germany's big budget deficits and lagging growth.

When asked "would it be better if the wall between east and west still stood?" some 12% of easterners agreed, according to results from the Forsa poll reported in the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper. The paper did not say how many people were glad the wall was gone.

Berlin residents, whose city was divided in 1961 when communist authorities in the east built the wall to keep people from fleeing to the west, were less likely to wish for its return. Only 11% in former West Berlin and 8% in former East Berlin wanted the wall back.

Stereotypes and resentment persist on both sides of the former divide, with some westerners regarding easterners as backward and inclined to self-pity, while easterners sometimes look at westerners as bossy know-it-alls.

Some of those stereotypes came through in the poll, with 58% of West Berliners agreeing that "east Germans are inclined to pity themselves" and 47% of East Berliners agreeing that "west Germans conquered the former East Germany in colonial style."

The report said 2,000 people in Berlin and the surrounding Brandenburg region were polled, as well as an unspecified number of people across all Germany. No margin of error was given.

CNN

This is something I was well aware of. The residents of the former West Germany have been picking up the tab for rebuilding the former East Germany. A long painful process that those who worked hard for what they have understandably feel used in having to shoulder the expense for. It's made more difficult by many East Germans thinking things were better under communism when the state handled everything for them. It's not a fast process and it will be quite awhile yet before it stabilizes. Something Americans can compare it to is the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. That took 30 years to accomplish.

I think also because it's difficult to try to adjust to one of the highest per capita incomes in the world after living under an ailing economy for so long. In the East you have a whole generation growing up living under communism, and since the west basically took over, you can imagine that the east feels subordinate, like a student being taught economics by the master. I think it will improve once the next generation from both sides have better compadibilty with each other. Imagine Germany at its full potential!

im sure that the north in the american civil war felt the same way during the reconstruction era. the west germans will change their views once the east catches up to the west in economy.

That is why, you always develop the coummuist state's economies first before the political rehtorics. Like the topic of Comminusim on this board, Communism is a disaster in Capitalistic economy.

Often preached western styled freedom, democracy, human-rights and other capitalistic charateristics seldom work because of both sides' differences in values. Communistic countries need time to grow and heal, not blindly jump into any political movements.

Economics > immature politics without the money

If and When North Korea falls. After 10 years, South Koreans will want the 38th Paralel demilitarized zone back. Like West Germany, South Korea will also have a tough time re-building North Korea, not to mention massive increase in debt and jobless rate.

Originally Posted by Red_Army

If and When North Korea falls. After 10 years, South Koreans will want the 38th Paralel demilitarized zone back. Like West Germany, South Korea will also have a tough time re-building North Korea, not to mention massive increase in debt and jobless rate.

Yeah.

Ever notice that there is never a shortage of people whining and complaining about how, "Back in the day, things were better." You're not "back int the day' and believe it or not, life sucks sometimes. So you can piss and moan about how much better things used to be, or you can shut up and deal. (I could use to take my own advice on that at times.)

Ever notice that almost all cases citing "the good old days" is actually about 70% completely full of crap?

You are so right. Like my grandma: "Oh things were so good back then..."
Sure, with a couple of wars, bombings everyday, shortage of food, no hygienic services and so on.

We need some German here to discuss about this.