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German Unification 25 Years Later

Wikipedia
The Brandenburg Gate symbolized freedom after the fall of the wall.

A new Deutsche Welle poll surveying Germans ages 18-29 finds 90 percent think German unification was so successful it should be a model for other countries. Not surprisingly, older generations see it as a work in progress.

Across Germany and the U.S., people are talking about the effects of  the unification and how it could be better. A program beginning Sunday at the University of Cincinnati is no exception.

Berliner Republik: Reflections On/Of German Unification is a three-day, free conference open to everyone.

Professor of German Studies, Richard Schade, says 13 of the 15 speeches will be in English.

Topics are diverse and include:

  • Tiananmen Square and Berlin in 1989.
  • Unification and Secularization of the East German Church.
  • Precarious Labor Relations after 1989.
  • Berlin and the BVG in Music and Music Videos.
Credit Richard Schade
Fairview German Language School

The conference, Sunday through Tuesday, is in the Old Chemistry building on UC's campus.

In a separate event, Fairview-Clifton German Language School is also hosting a Unity Day event. It is on Wednesday.

The program, for 800 elementary students in two shifts, features song, poetry, orchestral offerings and more.

Ann Thompson has decades of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting.