This is changing a lot, though. Keep in mind that the German unification was only in 1990 and I know very few people older than ~35-40 that had lived in East Ge

This is changing a lot, though. Keep in mind that the German unification was only in 1990 and I know very few people older than ~35-40 that had lived in East Germany got good or any English skills. That's already a fourth of all Germans, also your anecdote was from 20 years ago.