Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

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The first case was a man and his grown daughter; the family had been operating a private laundry business in the suburbs of east Berlin. A couple of years ago, in order to put greater economic pressure on such private businesses (enforce them to form larger "people's factories") the State passed a law that a factory would now be any business employing mroe than 3 people (previously the number had been 11). Thus, the family had to begin paying factory as well as personal taxes; over the years these tazes [taxes] were raised to even more pressing levels. Also there are laws restricting the amount people can pay such private businesses (i.e. price controls to eliminate friendly assistance from neighbors and make profits impossible) and also restricting where their goods can be sold. Such economic pressures as this were eventually supplemented by direct threats that the business would be closed and the people forced to work in the "people's factories". At this point they fled as refugees.

The second man was a lawyer, had been working as a tax advisor in a town in east Germany. The State had, over the years, been collectivising farm and hand workers in his community, thus eliminating his clientele (who must then deal with the State's tax advisors). As a more imminent personal distress, one of the sons( there were 2 sons and wife who had fled with him) had been detected unfavorable comments in private letters to a freiend in the western zone. When this was somehow discovered he was brought up for punishment, given an alternative of joining the Secret Police and spying on his schoolmates (really this is no fictional horror story- it happened!!!) With the threats on his son and the pressure on the father to become a State lawyer (which means joining the party too), the family fled to west Berlin, will go on to Stuttgart where the man has a job arranged through friends.

The third and fourth cases were both farmers fleeing in face of the pressure to give up their private farms and join the Collective farms as I already mentioned. Here we observed, the stress has been more openly political. They (the party organization) call meetings in each town, request that the farmers voluntarily sign up for the party and collectiveization [collectivization] (thus they can say in propaganda that it was "voluntary") and had the peoples' support; Those who don't sign are then pressured to sign ("voluntarily", mind you) by city officials, visits from party people, even liud [loud] speakers going through the streats screaming the man's name as a "friend of Adenauer". If the "Voluntary" appeal doesn't work, the man is, I think, then required to join anyway, and of course his stalling makes him the less popular in the government's eyes. As one side note on the dangers involved in a refugee's flight to the west, one of these farmers came by train with his wife. He and his son ( with the son's wife and two Young children) had arranged to leave at the same time and travel seperately (for greater safety in smaller numbers). They were to meet in Berlin. But there is so far no sign of the son and grandchildren. They were either delayed or picked up by the Police. It is illegal to flee, try to flee, or even to know of someone's feelings without reporting it to the police! As I realized the torment this couple must be suffering, not knowing their son's fate, the personal brutality of the Totalitarian system really hit me, and I felt liberally almost like crying in sympathy.

[typed] Sunday - Jan.3-'97 [written] 10

[typed] When I told him how glad I was to see him, he said in his dogged monotone "I am glad you exaggerate the case so", and I wanted to hug him. Mrs. Baker is just the kind of dignified, helpful, loving mother-spirit we need, and I know she will do the Hall a world of good; she does not need the money and will exert all her Christian efforts to make it an attractive home. Had such a pleasant call at the Jordan's before I went to town. Mrs. Jordan is looking very well & pretty & Dr. Jordan is positively handsome. Yesterday evening Mrs. Baker, Theodora, Alice Colt and I spent in planning and discussing the possibilities & future of the Hall and I feel that the New Year gives promise of a richer more unselfish and therefore happier one than any of the preceding three years. Tomorrow I spend in making calls, and Tuesday is registration day. I am wild to hear youu comments on the pictures and hope they are a pleasure to you. The vacation on the whole has been very satisfactory, two more days of sleeping will fit me for another term - thank fortune not my last quite yet. A thousand wishes for all joy & peace and comfort for your New Year.

Your loving Toodles

Forgot to tell you that I went to church this morning & had a delightful service & good service. Have Barries Little Minister this vacation.