BERLIN — Lothar de Maizière, the first (and last) freely elected prime minister of East Germany, realized at the time that his role was to preside over a “giant bankruptcy.” Iris Gleicke was raising a child and hoping she could visit her godmother in the West. The parents of Ioulia Isserlis were living in Russia, but would eventually decide to move the family to Germany — the “safest place” for Jews. She would later tap into the thriving youth scene in a city once divided by a wall, but now split over whether to wear brand-name clothes.

They are among six Germans from different generations — roughly 25, 50 and 75 years old — who described their views on the past, present and future of Germany for the 25th anniversary of reunification on Oct. 3, 1990. Born in different eras — during World War II, in the heart of the Cold War and around the time of unification — they have seen the rapid changes in Germany, but from vastly different perspectives.

Germany is the predominant power in Europe. But it still seems uncertain as it assumes a global role. And new challenges have emerged with hundreds of thousands of refugees seeking a new life there, and an iconic German company, Volkswagen, denting the country’s image and perhaps economy.

Reunification has cost an estimated 1 trillion euros ($1.16 trillion), yet East-West inequalities remain. A new government report showed that gross domestic product per capita in eastern Germany has more than doubled in the past 25 years, but is still one-third lower than western Germany’s. East Germany’s economy collapsed, as the Treuhand, the state-run agency appointed in 1990 to privatize East Germany’s government-owned businesses, failed to save most enterprises. The even swap of East German marks for West German currency in 1990 was politically necessary, but economically ruinous. And eastern Germany is rapidly aging.

Yet against all expectations, Berlin — once the epitome of a divided Germany — has become a city beloved by the young, a chaotic, sprawling crucible for the creative and a magnet for millions of visitors.

Here are the memories and views of six Germans: