[ Sul malcontento dei cittadini della ex DDR ]
Source: Rick Rozoff / ANTINATO @...
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 04:56:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Rick Rozoff
Subject: Eastern Germany: 'Velvet Revolution' Fifteen Years Later
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1456005,00.html
Deutsche Welle - January 12, 2005
East Germans Disappointed by Reunification
Ralf Lehnert
East Germany in 1989 was in the midst of a peaceful
revolution. Its citizens aged from 35 to 50 were also
in the midst of their adult lives back then. But for
the majority, hopes of a better future have been
dashed.
Mixed feelings and disappointment - that sums up the
general view of East Germans aged 50 and up, according
to a new report by the charitable organization,
Volkssolidarität.
The "Social Report 50plus 2005" found that while most
East Germans say they are satisfied with their lives,
when asked specifically about their expectations for
reunification, 69 percent said things were worse than
expected 15 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Job worries
Jobs are the biggest source of worry, said Prof.
Gunnar Winkler, head of Volkssolidarität.
"Our organization is again having to fight suggestions
to keep people working beyond the age of 65 -
suggestions which only aim to cut pension payments,"
Winkler said.
"And such demands can only have an impact if there
were jobs for every senior citizen who wanted to
continue working."
According to Winkler, Germany's eastern states lack
almost a million jobs for the 50-65 age group alone.
Only 41 percent of people in this group currently have
jobs, almost a third have already retired, while
almost another third are either unemployed or in job
training schemes. Many are earning below average
salaries, and are having to get by on small pensions.
They hardly fit the stereotype of the well-to-do
German pensioner, said Winkler.
"Our organization is also having to combat this notion
that everyone age 50 and up is part of the so-called
'Inheritance Generation' benefiting from large sums of
money," he said.
"That's not the case in the eastern states, and it
only applies to a fraction of the western states. The
historical developments in eastern Germany didn't
allow, and didn't require anyone to save up large
amounts of cash."
Lack of savings
Under the East German socialist system, the state was
meant to provide for its citizens from cradle to
grave, making private financial resources obsolete.
Today, 15 percent of East Germans aged 50 to 65 are
affected by poverty. And the number of those whose
income lies just above the poverty line is much
greater.
Although the poverty risk of this group is much lower
than that for children or single mothers, East Germans
on the verge of retirement don't have much ground for
optimism - 42 percent responded that they were either
"dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with their
future prospects.
Source: Rick Rozoff / ANTINATO @...
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 04:56:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Rick Rozoff
Subject: Eastern Germany: 'Velvet Revolution' Fifteen Years Later
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1456005,00.html
Deutsche Welle - January 12, 2005
East Germans Disappointed by Reunification
Ralf Lehnert
East Germany in 1989 was in the midst of a peaceful
revolution. Its citizens aged from 35 to 50 were also
in the midst of their adult lives back then. But for
the majority, hopes of a better future have been
dashed.
Mixed feelings and disappointment - that sums up the
general view of East Germans aged 50 and up, according
to a new report by the charitable organization,
Volkssolidarität.
The "Social Report 50plus 2005" found that while most
East Germans say they are satisfied with their lives,
when asked specifically about their expectations for
reunification, 69 percent said things were worse than
expected 15 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Job worries
Jobs are the biggest source of worry, said Prof.
Gunnar Winkler, head of Volkssolidarität.
"Our organization is again having to fight suggestions
to keep people working beyond the age of 65 -
suggestions which only aim to cut pension payments,"
Winkler said.
"And such demands can only have an impact if there
were jobs for every senior citizen who wanted to
continue working."
According to Winkler, Germany's eastern states lack
almost a million jobs for the 50-65 age group alone.
Only 41 percent of people in this group currently have
jobs, almost a third have already retired, while
almost another third are either unemployed or in job
training schemes. Many are earning below average
salaries, and are having to get by on small pensions.
They hardly fit the stereotype of the well-to-do
German pensioner, said Winkler.
"Our organization is also having to combat this notion
that everyone age 50 and up is part of the so-called
'Inheritance Generation' benefiting from large sums of
money," he said.
"That's not the case in the eastern states, and it
only applies to a fraction of the western states. The
historical developments in eastern Germany didn't
allow, and didn't require anyone to save up large
amounts of cash."
Lack of savings
Under the East German socialist system, the state was
meant to provide for its citizens from cradle to
grave, making private financial resources obsolete.
Today, 15 percent of East Germans aged 50 to 65 are
affected by poverty. And the number of those whose
income lies just above the poverty line is much
greater.
Although the poverty risk of this group is much lower
than that for children or single mothers, East Germans
on the verge of retirement don't have much ground for
optimism - 42 percent responded that they were either
"dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with their
future prospects.