East-West differences: Why East Germany does not yet equalize

East-West differences: Why East Germany does not yet equalize

In Germany, many people assume that the quality of life in the West is better than in the east, and the statistics seem to agree to this assumption. According to an expert from the Humboldt University, Daniel Kubiak, there are still significant differences between the regions despite various socio-economic progress.

To visually present the gap, you could use a card that color German counties and independent cities according to critical values ​​such as income, youth unemployment or the number of daycare places. In this way, the former inner German border becomes clearly recognizable, and it can be seen in which areas the East still lags behind.

salaries in the east and west in comparison

A look at the salaries shows that in western Germany the median is monthly gross paying with impressive 3,900 euros. In contrast, people in the East German federal states with a median value of 3,329 euros earn significantly less. This means that employees in the western federal states that earn beyond this value are considered above average paid compared to their East German colleagues.

The colors on the isolated map of Germany speak volumes: the circles in the east glow in a lighter blue, while the western regions shine dark blue. The darker the color, the higher the salary level. This visual representation illustrates where the salaries are far below the German average.

In addition to the salary differences, youth unemployment in the east is alarming. State statistics show that the labor market for young people in East Germany is faced with challenges that differ significantly from the West. While initiatives were launched to improve this situation, youth unemployment in many East German cities remains an urgent problem.

With regard to daycare places, there are also differences that are important for parents in the individual regions. Access to early childhood care is often inadequate in the east, which makes it difficult to reconcile work and family for many parents. These aspects are crucial when it comes to whether families choose a place of residence in the east or west.

Although there are efforts to avoid differences between East and West, but it remains to be seen whether this will show sufficient and long-term effect, as reports www.mdr.de . The dialogue about these inequalities could be an important step to create a more fairer labor market all over Germany.