ABSTRACT

In 1945, most of the East German housing stock dated from before the First World War – about 4 million of the 5 million units. Since 1960, East Germany built nearly 3 million new housing units, over 40 per cent of the total stock. Co-operatives survived the war and were used by the East German government to develop publicly provided housing. In the 1970s, the proportion of private building grew again because of the failure to satisfy demand and the need to galvanise individual effort. Reunification has caused major upheavals in the housing market in East Germany. The German Federation of Housing Associations was given the task of reorganising the East German social housing stock of 3 million units; implementing rent rises and ownership transfers; protecting members’ shares, and ensuring the independence of the co-operatives. The dismemberment of the former East Germany was so sudden and so dramatic as to drain confidence from the East and exaggerate differences.