One in nine in Berlin wants the Wall back

A new survey has found that every ninth person in Berlin and even more in the surrounding state of Brandenburg wants the Berlin Wall back. Life was better back then, Wall supporters said.

Published: 10 July 2008 15:37 CEST

One in nine in Berlin wants the Wall back

A scene from the German 'Ostalgie' film 'Sonnenallee." Photo:DPA

The survey, conducted by the Forsa research institute for Berlin’s Free University, asked if respondents agreed with the statement “It would be better if the Wall were still there.“

In the western part of Berlin, 11 percent agreed with that statement, while in eastern Berlin, it was 12 percent, according to political scientist Oskar Niedermeyer, who reported the figures on Thursday. In the suburbs around Berlin, nine percent said the Wall’s return would be welcomed.

In the parts of Brandenburg furthest from Berlin, 14 percent agreed that the former barrier was a good thing.

Forsa carried out the survey at the end of March and beginning of April by pollling 2,000 residents in Berlin and Brandenburg.