In East Germany people had to always watch their backs because there was always someone that was going to snitch. People in East Germany seemed to have it harder after the wall was built. Peoples families were split in half due to the Berlin Wall separating East and West Germany. The government only made things that people needed, cheap, but things that people could get as gifts were expensive. Most kids didn't have toys or just things to play with. There wasn't really anything to do except if you were wealthy and had cool gadgets to entertain. This is why life in East Germany. "The Stasi knew about me and Gerta the other night. They listen to everything we say in here." (Nielsen 57) This was from the day that Fritz returned after being taken in by the Stasi. He had to write it down so the Stasi wouldn't find out since they had bugged their house. "Sometimes we weren't joking, though. Sometimes we genuinely resented the life we were forced into." (Nielsen 64)

In East Germany you couldn't escape, you couldn't talk badly, you couldn't look at the wall for too long, you couldn't even walk to school without someones eyes piercing through your back. Despite the rule of not leaving,"Even with the fence and armed soldiers, people were still finding ways out." (Nielsen 13)

In East Germany no one could speak freely because there own apartments the Stasi were always listening so is they so one bad thing it goes directly into their file that the Stasi keep for each and everyone who lives or lived n East Germany. Another restriction that people in East Germany had was that they didn't have accuse to fresh fruits and if they wanted to buy someone a gift it would be very expensive and only wealthy people could afford things like that. "Because those who get too curious about the other side sometimes get a taste of my bullets. Verstehst du?" (Nielsen 25) This quote is from Gerta was caught looking at her brother on the viewing platform and a soldier caught her.