"What belongs together, grows together."
(Willy Brandt, 1989)

The legacy of German Unity
The experience of German Unification has made it easier for authorities to reach a consensus on major crises like the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The feeling that “everyone was in this together” rallied Germans to act quickly.
Growing Together Again is an intimate portrait of German unity – and ultimately European identity – three decades after the end of the Cold War. It describes the experiences and achievements of several notable people in Berlin and eastern Germany who are committed to rebuilding the region and drawing the East and West closer together.
The costs of growing together
When the euphoria of the opening of the Wall and Unification died down in 1990, Germans were confronted with the harsh reality of incorporating the former communist East into the western Federal Republic of Germany.
The process was highly disruptive and extremely expensive. It took a great deal of hard work, money and dedication to unite the country.
Despite the high cost of unification and the disruption of daily life in eastern Germany since 1990, the ongoing merger of East and West has been largely successful.
