Hm... what would have been your less optimistic expectations?

Because the expectations people had at the time, were not of a continuing crisis of East Germany (depopulation and growth rate often under that in West Germany) despite 1.5 trillion euros flowing there. Not to mention the (in)famous Kohl government promise about blühende Landschaften [hard to translate, blooming/flourishing/prosperous landscapes].

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}