East-West debate: Teuteberg criticizes East identity as a political business model
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
News
From a news agency
Context piece
- FDP Vice Chair Linda Teuteberg argues that the emphasis on East-West German division is a "political business model" used by the far-left and far-right.
- Teuteberg stated that the concept of "East identity" was retroactively created, as East Germans primarily saw themselves as Germans before reunification.
- She acknowledged that 40 years of division caused different experiences but stressed that healing also takes time, while criticizing the exploitation of perceived differences for political gain.
Linda Teuteberg, Vice Chair of Germany's Free Democratic Party (FDP), contends that the ongoing focus on divisions between East and West Germany is artificially amplified and serves as a "political business model" for extremist parties. She specifically criticized the PDS, now Die Linke, and the AfD for what she described as "resentment politics."
It is resentment politics, originally from the PDS as the supposed sole advocate for East Germans in the nineties and today also from the AfD.
"The East identity was retroactively invented," Teuteberg told the German Press Agency. She asserted that before reunification, East Germans largely identified as Germans living in a divided country and felt a sense of belonging together. While acknowledging that four decades of separation led to distinct experiences and influences, she stated, "40 years of division, by human standards, also require 40 years of healing."
The East identity was retroactively invented.
However, Teuteberg questioned the motivation behind emphasizing these differences, asking, "Who is exploiting actual or supposed differences? Whose political business model is the division?" She also pointed to pre-1990 factors contributing to economic disparities, noting that "40 years of socialism offered fewer opportunities for wealth accumulation." While these historical factors have lasting effects, she cautioned against confusing cause and effect, as political fringes exploit these issues for contemporary political aims.
40 years of division, by human standards, also require 40 years of healing.
Teuteberg's remarks come shortly before the 65th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's construction on August 13, 1961. She emphasized that the former East German state was a dictatorship and a "large prison." The anniversary, she said, serves as a reminder of the value of freedom, the rule of law, and democracy, and a call to counter those who systematically blur the fundamental differences between a democratic legal state and a totalitarian dictatorship.
Who is exploiting actual or supposed differences? Whose political business model is the division?
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Der Spiegel in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
More Stories
From Our Blog
What Gets Lost (and Found) When News Is Translated
How the Same Story Looks Different in Different Countries
The Critical Role of Diaspora Media in Global News
What Travellers Should Know About Countries with Restricted Press
A Digital Nomad's Guide to Following Local News
