Eastplaining: Hanna Müller on Prejudice and Returning to Saxony

In a recent piece for the German newspaper Der Freitag, Hanna Müller, author of the blog 'Eastplaining', recounts a conversation in a café in a mid-sized German city where she is pursuing a master's degree. A fellow student, upon learning she is from Saxony, remarks, 'You probably haven't had it easy in recent years.' Müller reflects on the widespread prejudice against East Germany that such comments reveal. She notes that she experiences such biases frequently and is preparing to move back to her home region this summer. The article, titled '4. Generation Ost: Warum reicht das Wort „Sachsen“, um Mitleid auszulösen?', explores how the mere mention of Saxony can trigger pity, and Müller contemplates how to respond to such assumptions. The piece is part of the current issue of Der Freitag.