Is "East German" an Ethnic Group?

A German labor court will consider whether being East German is a separate ethnic group within Germany and thus a protected status. Despite East Germany and West Germany's reunification in 1990, there is a lingering divide between those from West Germany (Wessi) and East Germany (Ossi). The terms Wessi and Ossi are used as insults by the other group. Spiegel Online has the story about the labor case of a woman who was rejected from a job as an Ossi.