Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Daniel, I like the documentation of the graffiti. The "tough life" in ex-DDR needs to be put in perspective, though. In most of the ex-Commie countries there was a period of great economic upheaval post-1989. In Poland, for example, unemployment shot up (it still is high but now decreasing), many people became poor very quickly, there was a bout of hyperinflation etc. Now the situation is good and improving, but it took years to get here, and to get the country in shape to join the EU last year. In contrast, the East Germans joined the EU instantly once Germany was unified; for political reasons, an ecomonically insane decision to convert the Ost Marks to DM at the rate of 1:1 was made, which meant that their savings and salaries suddenly were worth something in real money--but it also meant that an East German worker was suddenly totally uncompetitive, hence the high unemployment in the 5 new L?nder. And the amount of investment that went into ex-DDR was simply mind-boggling. I remember driving to Poland from Belgium in 1995 and once I crossed the old German-German border, the place was one giant construction zone. Not good for driving. But now when I drive the same route, I drive on Autobahns fully up to West German standards. And so on. During the past couple of years, I have been to Bautzen, Rostock and of course Berlin. Berlin is a special case, of course, but even the smaller towns are now virtually indistinguishable from similar towns in ex-West Germany. So I do not feel particularly sorry for the East Germans; they have had an easy ride compared to the Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, not to mention the Russians, Bulgarians, Romanians etc. Nathan Daniel Ridings wrote: > Pulled out some shots from my trip around northern Germany (Hansa > towns). One thing that strikes you when you travel around in former > DDR are the signs that life has been very tough ... and still is. > Former residents of DDR in Germany have less pay, even if they are > working side by side with colleagues from the old BRD, 20% less pay. > > There was little or no interest for renovations during the DDR period. > That is both good and bad. Good because all the silly mistakes that > the west made could be avoided, but bad because it is getting very > close to being too late. > > Churches in general were of very low priority: > > http://www.dlridings.com/paw2005/33.html > Stralsund, M3, 21/4.0 Skopar > > But side by side with the ruins, you see signs of rejuvenation: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album259/05v30_0044 > same > > There's a couple in b/w with the IIIf and Elmar too: > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album259/05v30_0060 > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album259/05v30_0061 > > But walking around on vacation (read: you have a job that you can take > off from) you are reminded that life is very tough even today. > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album259/05v30_0052 > I live here, what are you doing? Kiev 4A J-8M > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album259/05v30_0053 > Cold heart city > > Now to tackle what I've been putting off for far too long ... a new > place to live in Oslo. > > Best, > Daniel > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com