Bremen's Mayor Bovenschulte: East and West do not divide Germany

It's not East and West that divides Germany, but how people feel about the Basic Law - at least that's what Bremen's mayor Andreas Bovenschulte says.

The “real debate about the soul of the country” is between the political forces that stand behind the Basic Law and those who say: “Instead of a diverse republic, we want a homogeneous national community,” said the SPD politician in the ZDF morning magazine. 36 years after reunification, German Unity Day is taking place in Bremen this weekend.

East and West Germany have changed significantly since the early 1990s. In general, speaking of “the East” and “the West” is wrong. Because there are economically and socially strong as well as disadvantaged regions within the two parts of the country, said Bovenschulte, who currently chairs the Federal Council.

Differences also between individual federal states

“Bremen and Bavaria are positioned quite differently – as are Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony” - and that is ultimately a good thing. Strength comes from people and regions bringing in their different experiences and perspectives - similar to the Bremen Town Musicians, who were only strong because they built on each other.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) made similar statements in a statement on the occasion of the unity celebrations. «Unity does not mean equality. German unity in particular involves different experiences and perspectives.”