Actress Karoline Schuch, who spent her childhood in the German Democratic Republic until she was 18, says she feels a complex, sometimes conflicted connection to her East‑German roots.
“I’m aware that everything feels markedly more uncertain than it did in my youth” she told reporters from the Funke Media Group, adding that the upcoming state elections in two eastern states are a source of concern for her. Yet she remains hopeful that a viable path forward can be found.
Schuch has highlighted the importance of community life. “In Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern, for example, I see many small initiatives that foster a sense of togetherness” she said. Such encounters make it clear that societal disagreement isn’t as widespread as it might seem. When she meets people from the East, she often feels a strong, almost special bond.
At the same time, she acknowledges the weight of “East‑German mockery” recognizing how much injustice occurred in the GDR and how that history still lingers.