Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall: what’s new in the East?
As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 2024, let’s start from the premise that the Berlin Wall did not “fall” on the night of November 9, 1989.
The process that led to its “opening” was based on the mobilization of GDR citizens aspiring to democracy, and intensified in the autumn of 1989, culminating on November 9 and paving the way for German unification on October 3, 1990. Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, is it still time to celebrate in East Germany?
- Even if there are tangible signs that economic catch-up has largely been achieved, the division between East and West Germany remains strong in many economic and social areas.
- The sense of political, economic and cultural domination by West Germans is catalyzing frustration in the eastern Länder.
- Recent historic highs for populist parties, notably the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, appear to be driving eastern Germany further away from the German democratic model.
- Successful cooperation initiatives between France and East Germany could help redefine a Franco-German relationship that is still very much rooted in the West.
Paul Maurice is Secretary General of The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at Ifri, where he focuses on German domestic policy, Franco-German relations within the European Union, and German foreign and security policy.
This publication is available in French (pdf): "Trente-cinq ans après la chute du mur de Berlin : à l’Est quoi de nouveau ?"
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Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall: what’s new in the East?
Author(s)
Paul MAURICE
Secretary General of the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa), Ifri
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The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
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