Comparison
East Germans go to the city center more often
How do people in East and West look at the city centers? A survey shows that West Germans are very interested in the East German city center. They obviously have an advantage.
People in East Germany visit their city centers much more often. According to a survey, 43 percent are drawn to the city center every day or at least two to three times a week. In the west, only every third indicates this. This emerges from a special evaluation for the “Germany study”.
In June and July 2024, the consulting company Cima, on behalf of the Germany (HDE) and the City Management Association East (CMVO), interviewed almost 5,050 people.
Shopping is therefore the most common motive in both parts of the country, which is why consumers visit the city centers. Nevertheless, there are differences: in the West, gastronomic offers and visits to the doctor are more often mentioned as a reason for visits. Meanwhile, public institutions, libraries, fixed, professional events, education and cultural offers such as theater or cinema are more important in the east.
Common problems: traffic and cityscape
From the perspective of CMVO Vice President Susann Liepe, the city centers in East German federal states have a “more balanced mix” than in the West. “In the east, more public institutions, jobs, educational institutions and services are located in the centers.” That brings more people into the city centers. This is also due to the fact that usage motifs are coupled more.
According to the survey in city centers in East and West, there is a need for action, especially in the cityscape and quality of stay as well as mobility, traffic and parking. In West Germany, the respondents see a greater investment requirement. The study authors justify this with the fact that in East German cities after the fall of the reunification, already elaborate renovations have been carried out.
Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Dresden most popular
The survey also shows: People from East Germany are more interested in inner cities across Germany, West Germans, especially for those in the West. For example, the respondents from the old federal states in addition to Berlin do not make an East German city into the top 10.
“It seems that many West Germans have not yet discovered the east for themselves almost 45 years after the turn,” said Liepe. In respondents from the new federal states, Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig lead the ranking of the most attractive inner cities. In the west, Munich, Hamburg and Cologne are in front. The capital only made it to fifth place.
However, East and West have to deal with the same challenges. In both parts of the country, many people do not visit their city centers as often as in the years before 2022. The number of visitors could continue to decrease. In the west, more than 30 percent of wanting to control the city centers less frequently in the east will state 28 percent in the east. However, only a good 10 percent want to come more frequently.
dpa
Source: Stern
