BILDUNG BILDET (Satis Shroff)

[Image result for free image about East & West German problems]

Welcome to the capital of united Germany. Remember going to Bonn in the former days--before the Wall was pulled down by both German people from the West and east. The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany), starting on 13 August 1961.

 The Wall cut off West Berlin from all of the surrounding East Germany, until government officials opened it in November 1989. The demolition of the long Wall began on 13 June 1990 and finished in 1992. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls who had orders to shoot at anyone trying to escape to the West. It was accompanied by a wide area called the "death strip" that contained anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" with nails and other defenses.

The Eastern Bloc portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" in building a socialist state in East Germany Well, the Ossies and the Wessies are united. The former are still a bit grumpy and disgruntled and would like to have the same amount of the cake as the Wessies. Some Ossies even say it was better formerly and are trying to discover their lost identity in the modern, western society by sticking together, using the paroles and slogans of the Nazis and other populists and being against the European Union, anti-Jewish and anti-refugees.

As far as travelling is concerned and money in your pockets, the Ossies are at an advantage in comparison to the olde Honecker's days. They can travel all over the world and not only to the socialist countries. They have freedom of speech and no SED, that is, no Stasi secret police to shadow them, no neighbours and so-called friends denunciating them anymore. 

The Ossie youth can study any subjects they prefer in universities throughout the sprawling country and take up professions in their own part of Germany or in the western part or in EU countries with DAAD scholarships and the Erasmus  Programme.  Chances over  chances. Travel and get to know the world, broaden your horizons and after that you won't vote for rightist populists for you have seen the world and know how well your country is doing and what a great country it is.  Be well educated and not only well-instructed, and most of all learn to think for yourself and take responsibility in life and not run after populists and get mouth-fed with rightist propaganda. Dankeschön.

Bildung bildet,eh?