The economy of the eastern parts of Germany formerly under communist rule has still not caught up with that enjoyed by the west of the country.
GDP in the former east is still 30% lower than in the west, despite the demise of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and subsequent unification of the country.
Comparing the west’s poorest state, Schleswig-Holstein, to the east’s best-off state, Saxony, the economic discrepancy is 14%.
Since 1991 Germans in the west have had to pay an extra tax, the “solidarity surcharge”, to fund the price of bringing up standards in the former east. It is scheduled to end in 2019 but may have to continue past that date.
While the overall unemployment level in Germany is a low 6.7%, this is already pumped up by much higher levels in the former East Germany. There 10.3% are without jobs, compared to 6% in the west.
Per capita tax revenue is €937 in the east, compared to €1,837 in the west.
Life expectancies remain lower in the east where it is 82.58 years for women, against 82.77 in the west; and 76.64 for men, compared to 77.97 in the west.
As for broadband access, it is enjoyed by 66% in the west, but only 32% in the east.
The figures were printed in a national German newspaper which claims to have seen a leaked copy of the annual government report on the State of German Unity.
