Berlin - The German parliament Friday approved the construction of a new monument to German unity, 18 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. The monument should serve as reminder to the peaceful revolution in East Germany that led to the collapse of communism and to the recovery of German national unity, the resolution said.
Berlin was chosen as the site for the structure, which is expected to be unveiled on the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall in 2009.
Of the 155-kilometre, grey concrete wall that surrounded West Berlin for 28 years, only three kilometres still remain.
Now, one in five Germans would like to see the Berlin Wall back, according to a survey published on Wednesday by the Forsa research institute for Stern magazine.
It showed 21 per cent in favour of a return to two Germanies, while 74 per cent were against another division. Stern said there was no significant difference of opinion between those questioned in the west and eastern parts of Germany.
Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said Thursday that the economic situation in the East of Germany had improved since unification but "a lot remained to be done."
As examples he cited the need to stem long-term unemployment and a migration of young people to the more prosperous states in the western part of Germany.
