Differences between East and West (November 12, 1990)

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When Emnid asked the 2,000 East Germans it surveyed to compare themselves with West Germans in certain respects, they were given three possible responses: they were superior, the West Germans were superior, or there was no difference.

The self-critical response was the most frequent one every time.

Forty-two percent felt that they were inferior as regards the “ability to solve problems”; 50 percent thought that they were less “motivated.” And 68 percent even felt that their “self-confidence” was lower.

The Leipzig Institute presented a list of twenty pairs of opposing traits (from “modest–conceited” to “enterprising–not enterprising”) and asked the respondents first to categorize West Germans and then East Germans. There were seven fields to choose from, in order to allow for differentiated responses.

In five points, the judgments were more critical of West Germans. They were considered more arrogant, less considerate, more selfish, more mistrustful, and less child-friendly.

Most also considered it negative that West Germans, in their opinion, were “more concerned about money.” With regard to one point, the East Germans saw no difference: neither group had a monopoly on humor.

But East Germans judged themselves inferior in no fewer than thirteen traits. A majority of East Germans felt that West Germans were more:

reliable
conscientious
thorough
disciplined
independent
decisive
cosmopolitan
flexible
industrious
self-assured
tolerant
imaginative
enterprising

The weaknesses that East Germans associate with themselves become even more obvious in closer considerations of the data.

In cases where the mean figures vary only slightly, the East Germans saw only a slight difference [between themselves and Westerners]. Thus, the East Germans assume that the other Germans are only slightly more reliable, industrious, tolerant, conscientious, and disciplined.

In cases where the mean figures vary significantly, they consider the West Germans to be far superior; this is true for decisiveness and independence, even truer for business sense, and truest for self-assurance.