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Impressions- page 2

#3 Post-war conditions here were almost as severe as those of the war
itself. Thousands of people pired in from bombed out cities or from lands
controlled by the Russians- poured into small villages like Beutelsbach
where bomb damage was not severe. But Beutelsbach was already overcrowded
by people who had come from Stuttgart earily in the war and where could a
tow] of 2000 find room for 30 people every day? (they came in truckloads
on an hours notice). There was a housing commission which, with police aid
made people give up rooms for new arrivals, until several families would
be sleeping together, often on the floor. There no clothes, very little to
eat, and there were no goods in the stores to be bought. Three stoves would
come from Waibligen as aid gifts and 50 families would beg to have them.
One very dramatic incident marks a turning point for these people: The
Marshall Plan gave (on April 29, 1946- and every German knows the date by
heart) to every man, woman, and child in Germany a gift of $10.00! This
money acted apparently as a catalyst for the recovery of the economy and soon
goods became available and the long road for recovery and rebuilding began.

#4- One very important factor in understanding political life in modern
Europe is the realization that present national boundaries as very recent.
We think of America as a young nation but most of Europe (Italy and Germany
is younger). Thus this area of Baden (Wurttenberg) was a kingdom (several
small ones actually) even after World War I. Many people here are far more
"Schwabisch" (the folk culture of the area) than they are "German". And
many remember in their own lives the whole history of the modern state of
Germany. Consequently local areas are very important and each of these sec-
tions is quite different than the others. This may help explain some of
the lack of deep interest which observers see in German National politics.

#5- One of my first observations here was that Germans rarely talk politics,
show no particular sign of interest in political matters. Naturally this
was very disturbing because it would seem to be just such disinterest that
made Hitler possible. I raised the question with the Mayor and he provided a
somewhat different picture: First of all, as a matter of information, vir-
tually every home in Beutelsbach takes a daily newspaper, many two. Every
family also has a radio and this often runs a good part of the day. A fact
that will probably shock you- in Beutelsbach, population 3100- there are
only 180-200 television sets- virtually all bought in the last 2-3 years.
As to the political significance of this, they Mayor says that people read
the paper carefully and thoroughly and that they get a large amount of news
on radio or TV. He says that all citizens, peasant farmers included, are
well informed on political matters. How all I don't know, but he himself
certainly is. So apparenyl [apparently] people are interested and informed about political
matters. Why then so little talk and activity?? One important answer is that
many people don't want to be identified with a party. There are two reasons
given for this: 1- People remember well the Nazi party experience- what it
produced, and what a shadow it could leave on one's postwar record to belong.
They distruct open membership in parties-fearing later consequences of this
sort. 2- In the small towns especially, it is economically unwise to be an
enthusiastic supporter of one party or the other. If a shopkeeper is a rabid
supporter og [of] the S.P.D. (Social Democratic Party) conservative peasants who
favor almost always the C.D.U. (Christian Democratic Union- Adenauer's party)
may supposedly boycott his store. So why should he speak out and lose busi-
ness? Such "radicalism" is viewed unfavorably and people would rather go
silently to the elections, cast their vote, and otherwise remain cautiously
silent.