Wistful former slaves in Germany
The east has witnessed a wave of nostalgia in recent years for aspects of the old East Germany, or DDR, where citizens had few freedoms but were guaranteed jobs and social welfare. The trend is not limited to the region.
"We've even received inquiries from clients in western German states asking whether they could open a local account with us to get a card bearing Marx's features," Sparkasse's Wirtz told Reuters.
A 2008 survey found 52 percent of eastern Germans believed the free market economy was "unsuitable" and 43 percent said they wanted socialism back.
