Eastern Germany
In the summer of 2024, we set off on a journey to the north — heading for eastern Germany. Just weeks before three state elections that many in the West were watching with unease, we wanted to see for ourselves. What is life like in a region that still stands apart in so many economic, social, and demographic ways — as if reunification had taken place just three years ago, rather than over thirty?
So what makes this East Germany tick?
I saw the "blooming landscapes" once invoked by Helmut Kohl — though more in a rhetorical than in an economic sense. Over two weeks of family vacation, I didn’t quite manage to get beneath the surface of its people’s soul. But I did gain a small glimpse, thanks to the excellent F.A.Z. podcast “Schaut auf diese Stadt,” which became a loyal companion on our road trip.