“Ossis” not an ethnic group

20 years after reunification, a German court has ruled that the East Germans are not an ethnic group. The ruling forms part of the judgement in a case brought before the labour court, which referred to an unsuccessful job application submitted by an East Berliner to a small business in Stuttgart. The plaintiff, who had obtained an internal memo from the company which noted that she was an "Ossi" (a disparaging nickname often applied to East Germans), argued that the "Ossi" label amounted to ethnic discrimination and was in breach of legislation guaranteeing equal opportunities for minorities, but the court did not agree. "The judges were right," remarks Süddeutsche Zeitung: "Although they may be distinguished by their Saxon accents, beige anoraks, and residency in immense housing projects, the ‘Ossis’ are not an ethnic group." However, the Munich daily notes that the company job applicant was certainly on the receiving end of discrimination "based on her origin and homeland," which is forbidden by Article 3 of the German constitution.