Remnants of wall linger in German town
Posted: Sunday, November 09, 2008 7:30 AM
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Mainz, Germany
By Andy Eckardt, NBC News Producer
MOEDLAREUTH, Germany – It felt like I was in a time warp when a colleague and I recently visited the small village of Moedlareuth, a farming community in central Germany that was once cut in half by the infamous border that divided Germany – known to Americans as the "Berlin Wall."
Even 19 years after the "fall of the wall" – which led to the final collapse of communist East Germany and to the start of an economically difficult, but unexpectedly smooth reunification process – it was an emotional visit.
Memories of a difficult past were triggered when we saw remains of the old bulwark running through town and sat down at the local museum to watch a film about the dark chapter of German history that luckily culminated on Nov. 9, 1989.
Scars remain
Today, visitors to towns and cities in what was once the communist East are often greeted by renovated or newly built houses, state-of-the-art solar parks, wind farms and freshly tarred roads – a very modern infrastructure that shows the investment of billions of dollars in subsidies that were provided by the west after reunification.
But, despite the mostly positive changes, unemployment rates in many parts of former East Germany still remain significantly higher than in former West Germany. As a result, some eastern towns and regions have experienced a painful exodus of young, skilled workers, who are seeking jobs in the western half of the country.
Economic factors are often the reason for disenchantment among East Germans. A recent study by Germany's Forsa Institute showed that some East German citizens born before 1973, who were fully integrated into and cared for by the communist system, actually want the wall back.
The sentiment was even more strongly reflected four years ago when surveys by two leading research institutes showed that 19 to 21 percent of all Germans were somewhat in favor of the wall.
"I think there still is a wall in the minds of some people here," said Ronny Fuchs, who grew up in East Germany and visited Moedlareuth to show his daughter what it meant to not have freedom of travel and to be a separated nation.
"There are still some prejudices on in both parts of the country, but with the new generation, this sentiment will disappear some day," Fuchs added.
And while it is a common complaint among tourists visiting Berlin that few visible traces of the wall are left in the German capital, this sleepy little village with a white wall running through the middle of town, continues to serve as one of few historic landmarks for future generations to see.
