20 Years Of German Reunification

From Deutsche Welle:
"Germany celebrates two decades of reunification"

Today is the 20th anniversary of German Reunification. While a lot has changed in those 20 years it seems that the eastern part of Germany still lacks way behind western Germany. A recent poll showed that only 34 % of western Germans have ever been to the eastern part since 1990 while 98% of eastern Germans have been to the western part. That is a big difference. Eastern Germany still has high unemployment (higher than the rest of the country) and many young Germans from the eastern part go to school and live in the western part. Western Germans still pay the Reunification Tax to help rebuild the eastern part and bring it to the west's standards. It is taking longer for the eastern part to bring itself into the western's standard of living than it took West Germany to rebuild after World War 2 (and that includes rebuilding cities destroyed by bombs.) It seems the German Government needs to use its money more wisely in the eastern part since it shouldn't take so long (20 years.) I have the feeling that the eastern part will take another 20 years to fully be integrated with the western part.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6070436,00.html