The 2026 report by the German government’s Commissioner for Eastern Germany has been submitted to the Bundestag as an official briefing paper (21/8400). Commissioner Elisabeth Kaiser (SPD) has made “upward mobility promises” the focus of this year’s edition.
At the heart of the report is a survey of around 2,700 people nationwide for the so-called Germany Monitor. According to the findings, 95 percent of respondents in both East and West said that performance and hard work should count toward social advancement, while 91 percent named education and training. But most respondents said different standards apply in reality: 80 percent stated that existing wealth is decisive for getting ahead, the same share cited personal connections as crucial, and 72 percent pointed to social background.
According to the report, the average total net household wealth in eastern Germany stood at 125,500 euros, compared with 257,100 euros in western Germany. The report, published annually around German Unity Day, concludes that even 36 years after reunification there are “still challenges and inequalities” but also “opportunities and new perspectives.” German unity therefore remains an ongoing task — for the federal government and for society as a whole, the report says.
Source: Deutscher Bundestag
