Marianne Birthler, former Federal Commissioner for Stasi Records, asserted that a majority of people in East Germany hold democratic views, even as the state legislature election in Saxony-Anhalt approaches. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland,” she acknowledged that surveys concern her deeply but added that those committed to maintaining democracy remain the majority in the East. She noted that observing Saxony-Anhalt today reveals a vibrant, diverse civil society. Birthler speculated that the threat posed by the AfD may have galvanized many citizens.
Regarding the East German population, Birthler commented that many felt satisfied after the 1990s, believing they had overcome many difficulties related to professional and personal life adjustments. However, a rising tide of fear, she suggested, is currently causing people to worry about losing the prosperity they gained-a concern, she stressed, that would be best addressed by rejecting the AfD.
She pointed to several other factors contributing to the AfD’s success in the East. Birthler stated that the National Socialist era was never truly processed in the GDR, a state that officially positioned itself as anti-fascist. “We were the inheritors of the resistance fighters and the victims. We were, therefore, ‘the good guys,'” she explained. Because of this, a confrontation with one’s own responsibility and guilt regarding Nazism never seemed necessary and was thus never conducted.
Furthermore, she argued that previous DDR citizens struggled with the concept of diversity, noting that “a culture of respectful debate is quite underdeveloped in the East.” Another issue, she added, is the massive migration from East to West before and after 1989, contributing to a population drain.
The 78-year-old commissioner emphasized that many East-West differences are gradual, not fundamental. She noted that the West has its own challenges, where people sometimes believe the AfD can provide solutions, citing examples where the party received nearly 27 percent in Pforzheim and 11 percent in Karlsruhe. Conversely, she highlighted that East Germany has numerous positive stories to tell.
