ABSTRACT
Affluent West Germany feels that its peaceful existence has been considerably disrupted and that it must constantly confront new demands and expectations. Here a renaissance of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) identity promoted by interested groups has its counterpart in Western nostalgia for the clear-cut conditions that existed before the Wall came down. The differences between East and West Germany are particularly marked in the economic sector. This has a significant effect on politics because the extent of the economic catastrophe in the GDR was underestimated by the West and probably by the ruling class in the GDR as well. The most important motive for immigration to Germany—which receives more than 60 percent of the applications for political asylum in the European Community—is certainly the hope of increased prosperity. Immigration was made easier by very liberal regulations on political asylum, especially because the mere request for asylum was coupled with a right to remain in the country.
