Former Federal Interior Minister and former Federal Minister of Defense, Thomas de Maizière (CDU), criticized key terms used during Germany’s reunification process. Speaking at the celebration of German Unity Day in the Saxon Parliament, de Maizière stated that while the overall process was successful, errors were made, noting that politicians also had to contend with misleading concepts such as “inner unity.”
He also pointed out that the term “leveling of living conditions” was flawed. He acknowledged that this had been “the officially designated goal of the politics” and likely “the overwhelming desire of the population” in the eastern German states. However, the minister explained that what was actually meant was the equivalence of living conditions, but this was inaccurately phrased as “leveling.”
De Maizière further addressed the fundamental texts, noting that the Basic Law does not use the phrase “unity and law and freedom,” but rather “consensus and law and freedom.” He insisted that consensus is a correct and important goal, but affirmed that it is “something completely different from unity, especially inner unity.” He stressed the need for consensus regarding the Basic Law, human dignity, and the value of democracy, while maintaining that it is distinct from inner unity. Finally, the CDU politician concluded that because consensus is never fully achieved, Germany, “we should completely dispense with the concept of inner unity as a goal.”
