New Länder
Encyclopedia
The new federal states of Germany
are the five re-established states
in the former German Democratic Republic
that acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany with its 10 states
upon German reunification
on 3 October 1990.
The new states, which had been abolished by the East German government in 1952 and were re-established in 1990, are Brandenburg
, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony
, Saxony-Anhalt
and Thuringia
.
The state of Berlin
, the result of a merger between East
and West Berlin
, is usually not considered one of the new states, although many of its residents are former East Germans.
Since the reunification on October 3, 1990, Germany consists of 16 states with the new states completely equal to the old states. Yet the process of the "inner reunification" between the former Eastern and Western Germany is still ongoing.
are often referred to as the "wall in the head" ("Mauer im Kopf"). "Ossis" (easterners) are stereotyped as racist, poor and largely influenced by Russia
n culture. "Wessi
s" (westerners) are usually considered snobbish, dishonest and selfish. The terms can be considered disparaging.
Twenty years after the fall of the wall, only 22% of former East Germans (40% of under-25s) consider themselves "real citizens of the Federal Republic". 62% feel in a kind of limbo, no longer citizens of East Germany but not fully integrated into the unified Germany. Around 11% would like to have East Germany back. A 2004 poll found that 25% of West Germans and 12% of East Germans wished reunification had not happened.
Some East German brands have been revived, appealing to former East Germans who are nostalgic for the goods they grew up with. Brands revived in this manner include Rotkäppchen, which holds about 40% of the German sparkling wine market, and Zeha, the sport shoe maker that supplied most of East Germany's sports teams and also the Soviet national football team.
Pornography
and prostitution
, considered by the government a sign of bourgeois decadence, were illegal in the GDR, and it is commonly believed that Germans who grew up during the communist years are more sexually inhibited than their western counterparts. Nonetheless, better access to higher education and jobs along with free abortion, contraception and generous family policies made East German women generally more emancipated with respect to their sex life.
More children are born out of wedlock in eastern Germany (57%) than in western Germany (25%); the difference is even more marked when compared to the Roman Catholic strongholds of Bavaria
and Baden-Württemberg
, where the rate is 15%.
The economic reconstruction of eastern Germany is proving to be more long-term than originally foreseen. The standard of living
and annual income remains significantly lower in the new federal states.
Reunification cost the federal government €2 Trillion. At reunification, almost all East German industry was outdated. The government had to privatise 8,500 state-owned East German enterprises. Since 1990, between €100 billion and €140 billion a year have been transferred to the new states. More than $60 billion were spent supporting businesses and building infrastructure in the years 2006-2008.
A €156 billion economic plan, Solidarity Pact II, came into force in 2005, and provides the financial basis for the advancement and special promotion of economy of the new federal states until 2019. The "solidarity tax", a 5.5% surcharge on the income tax, was instated by the Kohl government
to restore the infrastructure of the new states to the levels of the western ones. The tax, which raises €11 billion a year, will be maintained until 2019 at least.
Ever since the reunification, the unemployment rate in the east has been almost twice that of the west, currently at 12.7% (as of April 2010) after having reached a maximum of 18.7% in 2005. In the 1999-2009 decade, economic activity per person has risen from 67% to 71% of western Germany. According to Wolfgang Tiefensee
in 2009, the minister then responsible for the development of the new federal states, “The gap is closing.” Eastern Germany is also the part of the country least affected by the current financial crisis.
All the new federal states, excluding Berlin
, qualify as Objective 1 development regions within the European Union
, and are eligible to receive investment subsidies
of up to 30% until 2013.
The 17 VDE comprise 9 rail and 7 motorway projects plus one waterway
project, for a total funding of €38.5 billion. As of 2009, all 17 projects are either under construction or have already been completed. The construction of new railway lines and high-speed upgrades of existing lines reduced journey times between Berlin and Hanover
from over four hours to 96 minutes. Due to increasing car usage and depopulation since reunification many railway lines (branches and main lines) have been closed by the unified Deutsche Bahn
(German Railways).
"DEGES" (Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und -bau GmbH) is the state-owned project management institution responsible for the construction of approximately 1,360 km of federal roads within the VDE, for a total investment of €10.2 billion. It is also involved in other transport projects, including a 435 km of roads for approximately € 1,760 million as well as the City-Tunnel in Leipzig
, an investment of €685 million.
The Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2003 includes plans for the extension of the A14
from Magdeburg
to Schwerin
and construction of the A72
from Chemnitz
to Leipzig
.
Private ownership rates of cars have increased markedly since 1990: in 1988, 55% of East German households had at least one car, in 1993 it had already risen to 67%, and to 71% in 1998. This compares to the West German rates of 61% for 1988, 74% for 1993 and 76% for 1998.
(Die Linke, fusioned with the Party of Democratic Socialism, the GDR state party's successor, as main component) has been successful throughout eastern Germany, capitalising on the continued disparity of living conditions and salaries with western Germany, and high unemployment.
After 1990, far right and Nationalist groups gained followers. Some sources claim mostly among people frustrated by the high unemployment and the poor economic situation. Der Spiegel
also points out that these people are mostly single men and that there may also be social-demographic reasons.
The National Democratic Party of Germany
won 9.2% of the vote in 2004 state parliament elections, and the party has eight seats in the state parliament in Dresden
, just behind the 13 held by the Social Democrats. Far right parties also have seats in the parliaments of Brandenburg
and in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In the Saxony state election
of September 2009 the NPD lost votes (-3.6%) and seats (-4), while in the same month
the German People's Union
lost its representation in the Landtag of Brandenburg
.
A survey of 14 to 25-year-olds carried out by the Forsa opinion poll institute found that one out of two youths in eastern Germany now believe that National Socialism had “its good sides”.
In 2009, Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
, which is supported by the NPD
, organized a march on the anniversary of the Bombing of Dresden in World War II
. There were 6,000 Nationalists, met by tens of thousands of anti-Nazis and several thousand police.
After 1990, the fertility rate in the East dropped to 0.77. In 2006, the rates in the new states (1.30) are approaching those in the West (1.37). Since 1989, about 2,000 schools have closed because of a paucity of children.
In some regions the number of women between the ages of 20 and 30 has dropped by more than 30 percent. In 2004, in the age group 18-29 (statistically important for starting families) there were only 90 women for every 100 men in the new federal states (including Berlin). In parts of the state of Thuringia
, there are 82 women for every 100 men. The town of Königstein has the biggest demographic imbalance in Europe between young men and women. This has led to the concern to local leaders, as a large imbalance of males to females is usually linked to historical social instabilities and increased crime rates.
Around 300,000 homes have been demolished in recent years. In parts of eastern Germany, wolves and lynx
have reappeared after many decades.
had a population of 2,660,000 in 1989, and 2,523,000 in December 2008. It has the second lowest population density in Germany. In 1995, it became the only new state to experience population growth, aided by the vicinity of Berlin.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, population of 1,970,000 in 1989, 1,666,000 in November 2008. The local Landtag
held several inquiries over population trends, the opposition has requested an annual report on the topic.
Saxony
, population of 5,003,000 in 1989, which fell to only 4,189,000 in January 2009. It still remains the most populous among the five new states. In ten years the state lost 11.3% of its inhabitants. The proportion of the population under 20 fell from 24.6% in 1988 to 19.7% in 1999. Dresden
and Leipzig
are among the fastest growing cities in Germany both rising their population over half a million inhabitants again and in strong contrast to the other districts of Saxony.
Saxony-Anhalt
, population of 2,960,000 in 1989, 2,379,000 in January 2009. The state has a long history of demographic decline: its current territory had a population of 4,100,000 in 1945. The emigration already began during the GDR years.
Thuringia
, population of 2,680,000 in 1989, 2,265,000 in January 2009. In Thuringia, the migration has less of an impact than the decrease of the fertility rate. Former Minister-President Bernhard Vogel called for a stop to the exodus of skilled workers and young people.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
are the five re-established states
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
in the former German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
that acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany with its 10 states
Old states of Germany
The old states of Germany are the complement to the so-called new states of Germany that acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany upon German reunification on 3 October 1990...
upon German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
on 3 October 1990.
The new states, which had been abolished by the East German government in 1952 and were re-established in 1990, are Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
and Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
.
The state of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, the result of a merger between East
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, is usually not considered one of the new states, although many of its residents are former East Germans.
Since the reunification on October 3, 1990, Germany consists of 16 states with the new states completely equal to the old states. Yet the process of the "inner reunification" between the former Eastern and Western Germany is still ongoing.
Culture
Persisting differences in culture and mentality among the old East Germany and old West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
are often referred to as the "wall in the head" ("Mauer im Kopf"). "Ossis" (easterners) are stereotyped as racist, poor and largely influenced by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n culture. "Wessi
Wessi
Wessi is the informal name that people in Germany call former citizens of West Germany before re-unification, while the counterpart for former citizens of East Germany is Ossi. These names represent the lingering differences between the two pre-reunification cultures, and Germany's popular culture...
s" (westerners) are usually considered snobbish, dishonest and selfish. The terms can be considered disparaging.
Twenty years after the fall of the wall, only 22% of former East Germans (40% of under-25s) consider themselves "real citizens of the Federal Republic". 62% feel in a kind of limbo, no longer citizens of East Germany but not fully integrated into the unified Germany. Around 11% would like to have East Germany back. A 2004 poll found that 25% of West Germans and 12% of East Germans wished reunification had not happened.
Some East German brands have been revived, appealing to former East Germans who are nostalgic for the goods they grew up with. Brands revived in this manner include Rotkäppchen, which holds about 40% of the German sparkling wine market, and Zeha, the sport shoe maker that supplied most of East Germany's sports teams and also the Soviet national football team.
Pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, considered by the government a sign of bourgeois decadence, were illegal in the GDR, and it is commonly believed that Germans who grew up during the communist years are more sexually inhibited than their western counterparts. Nonetheless, better access to higher education and jobs along with free abortion, contraception and generous family policies made East German women generally more emancipated with respect to their sex life.
More children are born out of wedlock in eastern Germany (57%) than in western Germany (25%); the difference is even more marked when compared to the Roman Catholic strongholds of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, where the rate is 15%.
Economy
Standard of living
Standard of living is generally measured by standards such as real income per person and poverty rate. Other measures such as access and quality of health care, income growth inequality and educational standards are also used. Examples are access to certain goods , or measures of health such as...
and annual income remains significantly lower in the new federal states.
Reunification cost the federal government €2 Trillion. At reunification, almost all East German industry was outdated. The government had to privatise 8,500 state-owned East German enterprises. Since 1990, between €100 billion and €140 billion a year have been transferred to the new states. More than $60 billion were spent supporting businesses and building infrastructure in the years 2006-2008.
A €156 billion economic plan, Solidarity Pact II, came into force in 2005, and provides the financial basis for the advancement and special promotion of economy of the new federal states until 2019. The "solidarity tax", a 5.5% surcharge on the income tax, was instated by the Kohl government
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
to restore the infrastructure of the new states to the levels of the western ones. The tax, which raises €11 billion a year, will be maintained until 2019 at least.
Ever since the reunification, the unemployment rate in the east has been almost twice that of the west, currently at 12.7% (as of April 2010) after having reached a maximum of 18.7% in 2005. In the 1999-2009 decade, economic activity per person has risen from 67% to 71% of western Germany. According to Wolfgang Tiefensee
Wolfgang Tiefensee
Wolfgang Tiefensee is a German SPD politician. He was the Federal Minister for Transport, Building and Urban Development in the grand coalition cabinet led by Angela Merkel since November 22, 2005....
in 2009, the minister then responsible for the development of the new federal states, “The gap is closing.” Eastern Germany is also the part of the country least affected by the current financial crisis.
All the new federal states, excluding Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, qualify as Objective 1 development regions within the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and are eligible to receive investment subsidies
European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund is a fund allocated by the European Union.-History:During the 1960s, the European Commission occasionally tried to establish a regional fund. Only Italy ever supported this, however, and nothing came of it. Britain made it an issue for their accession in...
of up to 30% until 2013.
Infrastructure
The "German Unity Transport Projects" (Verkehrsprojekte Deutsche Einheit) is a programme launched in 1991 and meant to upgrade the infrastructure of eastern Germany, and modernise transport links between the old and new federal states.The 17 VDE comprise 9 rail and 7 motorway projects plus one waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
project, for a total funding of €38.5 billion. As of 2009, all 17 projects are either under construction or have already been completed. The construction of new railway lines and high-speed upgrades of existing lines reduced journey times between Berlin and Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
from over four hours to 96 minutes. Due to increasing car usage and depopulation since reunification many railway lines (branches and main lines) have been closed by the unified Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
(German Railways).
"DEGES" (Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und -bau GmbH) is the state-owned project management institution responsible for the construction of approximately 1,360 km of federal roads within the VDE, for a total investment of €10.2 billion. It is also involved in other transport projects, including a 435 km of roads for approximately € 1,760 million as well as the City-Tunnel in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, an investment of €685 million.
The Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2003 includes plans for the extension of the A14
Bundesautobahn 14
is an autobahn in eastern Germany.Currently, the route comprises two disconnected sections:* The old A 241. A North-South route in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern which runs from Wismar to Schwerin....
from Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
to Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
and construction of the A72
Bundesautobahn 72
is an motorway in Germany. Construction of the autobahn started in the 1930s, but was halted by the outbreak of World War II. Due to the division of Germany, a part of the autobahn lay in ruins until after German reunification.- Exit list :...
from Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
.
Private ownership rates of cars have increased markedly since 1990: in 1988, 55% of East German households had at least one car, in 1993 it had already risen to 67%, and to 71% in 1998. This compares to the West German rates of 61% for 1988, 74% for 1993 and 76% for 1998.
Politics
The socialist party The LeftThe Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
(Die Linke, fusioned with the Party of Democratic Socialism, the GDR state party's successor, as main component) has been successful throughout eastern Germany, capitalising on the continued disparity of living conditions and salaries with western Germany, and high unemployment.
Far right
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
also points out that these people are mostly single men and that there may also be social-demographic reasons.
The National Democratic Party of Germany
National Democratic Party of Germany
The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"...
won 9.2% of the vote in 2004 state parliament elections, and the party has eight seats in the state parliament in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, just behind the 13 held by the Social Democrats. Far right parties also have seats in the parliaments of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In the Saxony state election
Saxony state election, 2009
State elections took place in Saxony on 30 August 2009, the same day as the Saarland and Thuringia state elections. The election results decided control of the Landtag of Saxony...
of September 2009 the NPD lost votes (-3.6%) and seats (-4), while in the same month
Brandenburg state election, 2009
State elections were held in Brandenburg on 27 September 2009, the same day as the German federal elections and the Schleswig-Holstein state elections...
the German People's Union
German People's Union
The German People's Union is a nationalist political party in Germany. It was founded by publisher Gerhard Frey as an informal association in 1971 and established as a party in 1987. Financially, it is largely dependent on Frey....
lost its representation in the Landtag of Brandenburg
Landtag of Brandenburg
The Landtag of Brandenburg is the unicameral legislature of the state of Brandenburg in Germany.It has 88 members of parliament, currently belonging to four parties.-History:...
.
A survey of 14 to 25-year-olds carried out by the Forsa opinion poll institute found that one out of two youths in eastern Germany now believe that National Socialism had “its good sides”.
In 2009, Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland is a nationalist and revanchist, German youth organization, that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has described as “partially far-right”. Most of its activities take place in the eastern parts of Germany...
, which is supported by the NPD
National Democratic Party of Germany
The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"...
, organized a march on the anniversary of the Bombing of Dresden in World War II
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The Bombing of Dresden was a military bombing by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force and as part of the Allied forces between 13 February and 15 February 1945 in the Second World War...
. There were 6,000 Nationalists, met by tens of thousands of anti-Nazis and several thousand police.
Depopulation
About 1.7 million people have left the new federal states since the fall of the Berlin Wall, or 12% of the population. A disproportionately high number of them were women under 35. In fact about 500,000 women aged under 30 have left for western Germany in the past 15 years.After 1990, the fertility rate in the East dropped to 0.77. In 2006, the rates in the new states (1.30) are approaching those in the West (1.37). Since 1989, about 2,000 schools have closed because of a paucity of children.
In some regions the number of women between the ages of 20 and 30 has dropped by more than 30 percent. In 2004, in the age group 18-29 (statistically important for starting families) there were only 90 women for every 100 men in the new federal states (including Berlin). In parts of the state of Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, there are 82 women for every 100 men. The town of Königstein has the biggest demographic imbalance in Europe between young men and women. This has led to the concern to local leaders, as a large imbalance of males to females is usually linked to historical social instabilities and increased crime rates.
Around 300,000 homes have been demolished in recent years. In parts of eastern Germany, wolves and lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
have reappeared after many decades.
Demographic evolution
BrandenburgBrandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
had a population of 2,660,000 in 1989, and 2,523,000 in December 2008. It has the second lowest population density in Germany. In 1995, it became the only new state to experience population growth, aided by the vicinity of Berlin.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, population of 1,970,000 in 1989, 1,666,000 in November 2008. The local Landtag
Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
The Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the state diet of the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern . It convenes in Schwerin and currently consists of 71 members of five Parties...
held several inquiries over population trends, the opposition has requested an annual report on the topic.
Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, population of 5,003,000 in 1989, which fell to only 4,189,000 in January 2009. It still remains the most populous among the five new states. In ten years the state lost 11.3% of its inhabitants. The proportion of the population under 20 fell from 24.6% in 1988 to 19.7% in 1999. Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
are among the fastest growing cities in Germany both rising their population over half a million inhabitants again and in strong contrast to the other districts of Saxony.
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, population of 2,960,000 in 1989, 2,379,000 in January 2009. The state has a long history of demographic decline: its current territory had a population of 4,100,000 in 1945. The emigration already began during the GDR years.
Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, population of 2,680,000 in 1989, 2,265,000 in January 2009. In Thuringia, the migration has less of an impact than the decrease of the fertility rate. Former Minister-President Bernhard Vogel called for a stop to the exodus of skilled workers and young people.