Sustained Effects of Germany’s Reunification and Their Contribution to the Rise of Far- Right Ideology in Former East Germany
Abstract
Over the last few years, the world has seen an increase in visible support for far-right ideologies, particularly in Europe and the United States. The views of far-right groups tend to center around nationalism, the idea that their country, culture, and the white race is superior to others. They believe their identity is threatened by other cultures and therefore staunchly oppose diversity. In addition to racism, far-right supporters espouse xenophobic, homophobic, and transphobic views. The events of January 6th, 2021 have brought this ideology to the forefront of international conversation. To understand the increase in support for the far-right, my piece analyzes a region that presented early indications of this phenomena: former Soviet-occupied eastern Germany.
The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was created in 1949 as a Soviet Union satellite state. It existed until Germany’s reunification in 1990. The aftermath of the GDR has given rise to far-right ideology, and there are a number of factors that contributed to its ascent. Since reunification, the former GDR’s economy continues to lag behind the West; unemployment continues to be higher, and average wages continue to be lower. Despite the economic gaps shrinking, the disparities of an aging population and an imbalanced ratio of women to men continue to shape the political views of eastern Germany’s citizens to this day.
This economic decline after reunification fueled the development of anti-leftist views in the former East. There is a larger population of Nazi sympathizers and those in the eastern states are twice as likely to support the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD), a far-right political party that has gained prominence. “Today, AfD is the strongest political party among men in the eastern states and is currently the third-largest party in Germany (Schmitz). The growth of Nazi sympathizers, AfD, and other far-right groups threaten the stability of democracy, the safety of minorities, and the peaceful co-existence of different cultures that exist in Germany today. But the appeal of these groups to their supporters comes from historical factors as well as ideological ones, including the East’s economic downfall after reunification.
Immigration is a viable solution to the economic inequality of the East versus the West. However, immigration is strongly opposed by many East German residents. My piece argues that solutions for diffusing opposition to immigration must be explored and the economic disparities between East and West must be addressed to reduce support for far-right ideology.
