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Berlin (German news agency) – Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has spoken out against arrogance towards East Germans. “There is absolutely no reason and no justification to look down on East Germans and East Germany in any way,” he told the “Tagesspiegel” (Friday edition).
Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) had previously complained in the “Tagesspiegel” about the arrogance with which people talked about East Germany. That must change urgently, it is time for a “new East German self-confidence”. Steinmeier said he met many self-confident people during his several-day visit to Senftenberg in Brandenburg. “In the more than 30 years since reunification, much effort has been put into creating a lot of new things,” said the Federal President. You have to support those who are working on structural change like in the lignite region.