Half of Germans think the country has grown to become one nation: study
Germany celebrates 27 years of reunification on Tuesday. But after almost three decades, only one in every two citizens thinks unity exists between the east and the west, a new survey shows.
According to a recent survey carried out by Forsa research institute and the Federal Foundation, an organization established by the German parliament, 50 percent of Germans believe the country has grown to become one nation.
Germans in the west were slightly more optimistic with 52 percent of respondents stating they felt the country felt unified. Meanwhile the Statista graph below shows that in eastern Germany, only 43 percent of those surveyed felt the same.
Progress has been made in small steps since 2011, according to the Federal Foundation. Today half of Germans think the country has become unified. But in September 2011, 47 percent of German nationals believed this to be true.
"Inner unity does not come from one day to the next, but it does come," managing director Anna Kaminsky of the organization stated in response to the survey’s findings.
READ ALSO: 10 things you never knew about German reunification
Kaminsky also added that a trend has emerged over the past fifteen years and that people in Germany are increasingly thinking in terms of the whole country. "We as the Federal Foundation will continue to support this development," she said.
The study also showed clear differences of opinion between young and old. While 65 percent of the 14- to 21-year-olds surveyed stated that Germany has grown together as a single nation, only 40 percent of respondents over the age of 60 agreed with this.
The fact that the younger generation in particular felt little separation between east and west Germany was good news, according to Kaminsky.
In order to complete the study, 1,037 people were interviewed nationwide between September 13th and 21st. Respondents were asked whether they agree or disagree that "the people in east and west Germany have grown to become one nation.”
SEE ALSO: How October 3rd became German Unity Day
Comments
See Also
According to a recent survey carried out by Forsa research institute and the Federal Foundation, an organization established by the German parliament, 50 percent of Germans believe the country has grown to become one nation.
Germans in the west were slightly more optimistic with 52 percent of respondents stating they felt the country felt unified. Meanwhile the Statista graph below shows that in eastern Germany, only 43 percent of those surveyed felt the same.
Progress has been made in small steps since 2011, according to the Federal Foundation. Today half of Germans think the country has become unified. But in September 2011, 47 percent of German nationals believed this to be true.
"Inner unity does not come from one day to the next, but it does come," managing director Anna Kaminsky of the organization stated in response to the survey’s findings.
READ ALSO: 10 things you never knew about German reunification
Kaminsky also added that a trend has emerged over the past fifteen years and that people in Germany are increasingly thinking in terms of the whole country. "We as the Federal Foundation will continue to support this development," she said.
The study also showed clear differences of opinion between young and old. While 65 percent of the 14- to 21-year-olds surveyed stated that Germany has grown together as a single nation, only 40 percent of respondents over the age of 60 agreed with this.
The fact that the younger generation in particular felt little separation between east and west Germany was good news, according to Kaminsky.
In order to complete the study, 1,037 people were interviewed nationwide between September 13th and 21st. Respondents were asked whether they agree or disagree that "the people in east and west Germany have grown to become one nation.”
SEE ALSO: How October 3rd became German Unity Day
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.