Many powerful statements like the one above were made during our 4th #Wendegeschichten evening with Dr. Doris Geiersberger and Reinhard Singer last Thursday. They told us what it was like to move to #Rostock in the early 1990s shortly after the fall of the wall. They came from the South of Western Germany and built a life in the “North of the East” – Prof. Singer as a law professor at the newly re-instated faculty of law at Universität Rostock and as a judge at the Rostock Court of Appeals, Dr. Geiersberger as an employment lawyer, building one of the most important commercial law firms in Rostock over nearly three decades.

How many people this outstanding “power couple”, as one would say today, has accompanied, supported, encouraged, and shaped over the course of these 30 years can hardly be put into words. What was important to them: the #reunification was and is not a one-way street from West to East. It goes both ways. And it still is a painful process. One could say that this was the underlying agreement in the controversial discussion that followed, and which revolved around topics such as the growing radicalization of political parties and voters and the lack of democratic debate and commitment.

To be continued – the 5th and last Wendegeschichte will take place a few days prior to the actual 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Do let us know if you care to join.

*Kindly note that the Wendegeschichten are held in German. Too much would get lost in translation.