Who did u find to be more friendly,eastern germans or western germans?

Question

I always tough eastern are a bit more rezerved then western germans beeng izolated for 45 years from th western culture and less used with a lot of turist

Answer 1

West side is more friendly. I guess the East site was so many years isolated and they don't trust not many people, but the young generation is totally different.

Answer 2

That's a very good question!  I live in Germany, and from what I hear in the media about East Germany makes me NOT want to step foot in that part of the country.

But I must honestly say.....I've never met an East German that I haven't liked.  One was a co-worker of mine, and she was very nice.  All of them that I've met have been very friendly and open.  

They do seem to have problems adjusting to what west Germans think about them....so maybe that's why they are a bit more reserved.

Answer 3

The people in West Germany are more open minded and also helpful to foreigners.

The people in East Germany have not so much experience with foreigners, many are jobless and that result is that they are not fond of foreigners. They see them as competitors.

But I have met some nice and friendly people (with job) from East Germany and even my best friend is an East German.

But as a tourist it will be no problem to travel to the big East German cities as Dresden and Leipzig but the small poor villages I would avoid.

Not any problem in West Germany, at least not more than you can have in every country in the world.

Answer 4

Northern germans r the best! :P I know it because I am one!

Answer 5

I think you are right even with the reasons.

You get in contact easier with West Germans older people in East Germany are often not speaking English.And due to the long isolation their mentality is very different from West Germany though I amit it is changing slowly with younger generations.

Answer 6

I agree with almost everything said before, but will have to add that in East Germany most people did not learn English at school, so it is harder to get in touch with them when you don`t speak German.

@Wulf: Sorry, I did not specify that I meant the "older" generation. Of course kids now learn English at school, but until 18 years ago it was Russian (some took English as a second foreign language), so most people over 30 have problems communicating in English.

Answer 7

After living there for while I had the opportunity to know both.  And I found that both were very friendly, only the Eastern Germans were a little more hesitant to trust and accept you for who you were, unlike their western cousins.

Answer 8

The same these days, ten years ago you would have seen a difference maybe even up to 6 years ago but the last 6+ years there has been so much intergration of east and west that both sides are just as friendly.

I have friends first that were eastern, and second that were western.  I think you will find both just as friendly.

T- You have a valid point on the once you get to know them part. MOST of my closest friends in Germany are from the East as were both of my former GF's.

Rick - I hear you too!!

Sundance - Almost everyone I know in the East speaks English and I was a guest teacher at Shiller Gymnasium in Weimar for their English class where they had me teach some American History to them. It was a great class and the interaction of students and teachers was so much better than we have in the States, I am not familiar with the West German  School system though. Most I know spoke 3-4 languages before the finished school. I speak enough German though so I do not have to worry about English while there though.

Answer 9

west germans i think

Answer 10

From my personel experience, I find the East Germans more friendly. I lived in West Germany for about 7 years before moving to the former DDR. As for your comment about Western culture, I assume you mean American culture, because German cultur in West Germany is slowly erroding in nothingness and is more for the tourist than it is for the family. German culture is alive and well in the East, which is good because East Germany is the actual birthplace of modern day Germany.

I find many of the West Germans are more occuppied with money and what's in it for them...in short 'Americanized'. West Germans are alway obsessed with work and always in a hurry. In the apartment complex I lived in I asked a neighbour if he could give me a boost (yes it gets cold here too sometimes), first thing out of his mouth was sure for five Euro. Very few West Germans spend their hard earned Euro on trivial things like going out for a coffee, just going downtown to spend some money, or have fun....work work work.

I now live in the East and am loving it very much, the people are a lot more outgoing and always are ready to help their neighbours as well as perfect strangers, all have smiles on their faces, help people out asking nothing in return, say hello to perfect strangers, spend money whenever they can (even the unemployed people). Hate to say this but it's true...more intelligent because of the school system of the former DDR. Proof---my wife's daughters went to school in the DDR until the 4  and 2 class, when they moved to the West they were automatically moved up to the 6 and 4 classes.

Answer 11

I find both eastern and western Germans to be reserved at first, and very friendly once you get to know them.

Since fewer former easterners speak fluent English, and that is my first language, it is a little harder to get to know easterners, but since I speak German it sis not too bad.

Julie

Answer 12

first...get the fact straight, western germany was the non isolated one...it was the open one to britain, france, and america. the younger generations are equally nice the older however may still have grudges against one another....in GENERAL i feel western germans are more friendly and open. some easterners are still bitter about their history plus the west has had access and developed gradually. the east kinda just was thrown into the world...they kinda felt abandoned and presently the eastern part of the country is typically a bit less wealthy! hope i help happy new year

Answer 13

I think Western Germans are friendlier. Not really sure why but they seem more open minded and will talk to anyone

Answer 14

It all depends upon whom you ask. From my personal experience:

East Germans are more reserved to strangers, but are warmer and friendlier once you really get to know them.

West Germans are more friendly when you first meet meet them, but then they are more reserved in the long run compared to East Germans.

Being isolated for 40 years had this effect: The constant security and the need to watch what you said had East Germans focus on friends and families and be wary of strangers or loose acquaintances. The lack of exposure to foreigners has made East Germans more racist too.

West Germans however are more aware of the importance of good service or a good first impression and appear thus more friendly to a tourist. (Doesn't mean they are when you get to know them in private.)