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| Europe |
| al-Rooters: Many Germans Want Berlin Wall Back, Study Finds |
| 2005-03-26 |
| BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly a quarter of western Germans and 12 percent of easterners want the Berlin Wall back -- more than 15 years after the fall of the barrier that split Germany during the Cold War, according to a new survey. The results of the poll, published Saturday, reflected die-hard animosities over high reunification costs lowering western standards of living and economic turmoil in the east. The survey of 2,000 Germans by Berlin's Free University and pollsters Forsa found 24 percent of those living in western Germany want the Wall back -- double the eastern level. In Berlin itself, 11 percent of westerners and 8 percent of easterners said "yes" when asked: "Would it be better if the Wall between East and West were still standing?." The poll also found that 47 percent of the easterners agree with the statement that the West "acquired the east like a colony," while 58 percent of the westerners back the statement that "easterners tend to wallow in self-pity." TGA, have they taken leave of their senses? Reunification was botched, to be sure. But to put the wall back up? Yikes. |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |
| #9 Turn the wall back on!!! |
| Posted by: Al Rooters 2005-03-26 6:11:19 PM |
| #8 Al Reuters can't get the wall back, but they still may be able to buy some used Trabants to accomodate their nostalgic bout. |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-03-26 6:09:15 PM |
| #7 What this contrived poll and its publication really prove is that Al Reuters would like the wall back. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2005-03-26 5:00:16 PM |
| #6 What this contrived poll and its publication really prove is that Al Reuters would like the wall back. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2005-03-26 4:48:53 PM |
| #5 Good comment about polls. We have had some good one over here in the past week. Any one who wants the wall back should also give a reason why. I bet the no votes dwindle quickly when faced with justifying the rhetoric. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-03-26 4:30:42 PM |
| #4 Jene Kerle sind verrückt... |
| Posted by: Glising Whaimp5897 2005-03-26 2:50:22 PM |
| #3 PS: My orthography is in Easter mode already |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2005-03-26 1:51:30 PM |
| #2 Some polls are not worth the paper they're written on. Sure, people crack a few jokes, some indeed prefer the wall to be back, some beliefe that Elvis is alive and that the Easter Bunnie lays colored eggs. Move on, nothing to see here. Of course the reunification was botched, the influx of Easter Europeans has created all sorts of headaches. But frankly, those polls mean nothing. Ask the question: Do you want the wall back AND a thousand Russian missiles pointing at you that can explode if some computer makes an error or someone blinks... |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2005-03-26 1:50:31 PM |
| #1 I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this. But let's turn the figures around. 76% of West Germans do not want the wall back, and 88% of East Germans do not want it back. Considering the massive transfer of wealth paid by Westerners -- recall that each Eastern D-Mark was traded for 1 Western D-Mark, despite vast differences in the value of those currencies -- one might expect the polls to reflect mixed feelings. |
| Posted by: Curt Simon 2005-03-26 12:36:25 PM |