By Hassan Humeida
Kiel, Germany
As Germany commemorates 35 years of unity since the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, AsiaN is publishing a special series of interviews with Germans who reflect on the country’s path to reunification. These accounts capture the experiences of individuals who witnessed the effects of breaking down barriers and opening doors to a shared future.
The reflections, marked by fairness and authenticity, highlight themes of dignity, resilience and hope. They move beyond surface narratives to offer deeper perspectives on the significance of reunification for Germany and for the world.
In keeping with its mission to present journalism grounded in shared humanity, AsiaN is committed to sharing these stories with readers across Asia and well beyond it.
Through these voices and their enduring messages, AsiaN seeks to remind the world that reconciliation, unity, and the bridging of divides are achievable ideals in today’s world.
Roots in Köpenick, Lessons for Korea and the World: What German Reunification Taught Christine
Interview with Christine Kwiatowski, 63 years old; Retired (Former Social Worker); Berlin (East) Germany
My own experiences as a young person before German reunification
As someone physically disabled from birth, I benefited from excellent medical care and can now participate in life to the best of my ability.
I spent my childhood in Köpenick (a district of Berlin). We are still in contact today as school friends, and everyone has had their own experiences, but we’ve always kept our Köpenick roots in mind.
I had a carefree childhood and youth with sporting adventures (disabled sports, now parasports), club life with diverse interests, cultural highlights (e.g., the World Festival of Sports in 1973, the National Youth Festival in 1979), leisure activities such as nightclubs, and a very good education (even if, from today’s perspective, many things were not fully understood).
School education always depends on the social structure, and history is therefore interpreted differently. This is particularly interesting for Korean history. I acknowledge many of today’s reflections on the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and am glad that I had my own experiences. What I see as very critical is the erasure of GDR history, sociocultural life, and the suppression of attitudes to life.
My feelings during the German Reunification Process
Even though family ties meant that relatives were spread all over the world after their escape from East Prussia and Silesia, we maintained contact with some of them, which was respectful but distant. My generation and my parents’ generation were closer together, but the next generations no longer maintain contact.
Reunification came as a surprise to me, and I had great difficulty adjusting. My parents’ and in-laws’ generation had even greater problems, as they experienced the World Wars and the post-war period, and a country they lived and worked for was taken away from them. That’s how they experienced it. If there had been freedom of travel, the families would not have drifted apart so much.
I am friends with an aunt, and we never completely lost contact, not because we are related, but because we like each other very much.
It took me quite a while to travel. There was curiosity, genuine interest, but also disinterest in the encounters.
My feelings are ambivalent; pushing for the disappearance of the GDR so massively is wrong in my eyes. In my environment, I’m experiencing a sober awakening after the euphoria. Even after 35 years, we are not one Germany. It’s not about glorifying the GDR, but about accepting and adopting things that were simply good, seeing them as an enrichment.
Financial reunification (currency union and the exchange of DM for €) happened much too quickly.
From today’s perspective, I’m grateful to have been able to experience both forms of society, and it will be exciting to see what developments will emerge.
How my life and society have changed in the last three decades
I worked for the German Reichsbahn in an apprentice dormitory with a vocational school. Since my studies took place during the fall of the Berlin Wall, I witnessed how we struggled to finish our studies.
Suddenly, the subject was called Marxism-Leninism-Ethics. The content was almost the same, as we had already examined ethical issues during the GDR era.
An internship at the Frankfurt am Main train station in the railway mission of the German Federal Railway was a very good experience, one I obviously would not have had without the fall of the Berlin Wall. Caring for addicts inside and outside the station showed me that this problem exists in both socialism and capitalism. Afterward, I cared for addicts on the streets.
I have been a volunteer counselor for 30 years. I cannot identify any significant differences between East and West in this regard. Everyone has their own life story, and surprisingly, the fall of the Berlin Wall does not play a major role in triggering their addiction. Addiction is possible in all societies; it is just how we deal with it that makes the difference.
The silence and the distant interaction after the fall of the Berlin Wall were more than disconcerting. No one trusted the others; coexistence in all areas of life changed. Friend or foe was the question here. A confrontation was either loud or not at all.
An understanding of democracy would be the solution. It is about compromises, not about who wins. Trust has been completely lost, which is why the left and right fringes are growing in this still-unified country.
The role of the media alienates me. In my opinion, rash statements and decisions endanger peace within families, in the community, and, of course, world peace!
What I love about Germany as my home
It is a beautiful country with diverse geographical features, many cultural influences, dialects, and people who, despite this, approach each other with curiosity and respect.
A little story. Bavaria was not a travel destination for me. Then we met a couple from the Bavarian Forest who were curious about the East Germans. We became curious about the Bavarians. This developed into a close friendship through writing, speaking, and meetings. We showed each other our homeland, a wonderful story. This proves that friendship sometimes means more than kinship.
Life in the clubs, whether sports, camping, etc., has returned to normal. This proves an old saying: In the GDR, everyone found their niche and then lived well, enjoying quality of life! This also applies today in the FRG!
My own perspectives on the lessons of German reunification for Korean reunification
Reunification is undoubtedly good if it is carried out carefully, respecting the positive achievements of both sides. The people are not forgotten and everyone is included. The influences of their everyday lives, cultural sensitivities, such as language, architecture, historical monuments, etc., are taken into account.
Taking away their history is counterproductive! The currency should also be handled with caution. How many still convert to their old currency? If development occurs too quickly, many people will be left behind. Politicians without clear goals and visions are the reason why politics fails or they only live in their bubble.
What advantages I see for Korea and its future about a possible reunification of the Korean peninsula
Families can come together again, as this is more likely to happen in Korean culture than in Germany, as far as I know. The family plays a greater role than in Germany. Intergenerational solidarity is probably greater!
The path to tolerant and respectful coexistence among people worldwide
The basic condition is peace, the creation of compromises that take all parties involved into account. You do not have to like it if, in my view, a two-state solution is the only right solution in Gaza. Peace with Russia will only come about if the sovereignty of the individual states and their borders, which developed from the USSR, are respected and recognized.
It all boils down to the fact that we only want to live in peace; wars worldwide are not the way to resolve conflicts! No one should go hungry, and everyone should have a roof over their head and be allowed to live a dignified life according to their culture. Respect for human rights is undisputed, so action should be taken against their violations.
Peace and security in the world mean the following to me
They are essential for coexistence. Respect and appreciation for the country and its cultural circumstances in which one lives. If one decides to live in a country with a different cultural and religious background, then please live with respect and tolerance in that country.
This includes all areas of life, upbringing and education, as well as career guidance, interpersonal contact, and one’s perspective on the political orientation of the respective country. One does not have to like everything, but they have to respect the rules, laws, etc., in the country where they live. This is essential, especially when displacement and crises cause shifts in individual cultures. Preventing wars and crises is the goal. Tolerance towards those who think differently is desirable.
