Germany: How Can the Divide Between East and West Be Overcome?

Germany is becoming increasingly eastern, according to sociologist Armin Nassehi. Germanist Dirk Oschmann sees the country differently: in his view, the East continues to face condescension from the West.

The disagreement frames a discussion about one of Germany’s most persistent internal divides. Der Spiegel brought Nassehi and Oschmann together to look for ways to bridge the gap between eastern and western Germany.

Their exchange focuses on the relationship between how eastern Germany sees itself and how it is viewed from the West. The article presents the two scholars as addressing both sides of that tension while searching for possible solutions.