WEDNESDAY DEC. 21 1949 Bill Telephoned at 930 P.M. that he had landed at 6 this evening after a good passage !! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ reform we have overcome the agony of our former social and political existence thanks not only to American help but also on account of American politics. On the surface conditions appear fairly normal in the presence of the want caused by the tremendous destruction and the millions of refugees. But at least there is everything to buy, which for three years before was not so. Buying is of course a problematic proceedure since our salaries have been kept the same since the way and since the taxes are three times as high our salaries are actually reduced while all prices have advanced to about 21/2 to 3 times what they were before the war The present average income therefor has about 1/3 the buying pow- er as that before the war, so that the average German must live very frugally and modestly. A visitor should not let himself be deceived by the superficial appear- ance of the streets and show windows. In some way or another we are opligated to pay for the lost war. It is very pleasing to note that the health of the people has improved with better food, and it is especially pleasant to note a return of public spirit which seemed to have disappeared entirely. Behind this outwardly pleasing picture there is hidden for us the fear of a dark future. The more West Germany recovers and the more it attaches itself to its western neighbors, the deeper and more final will be the severance cut which runs straight across Germany and which delivers 2/3 of former Germany into the hands oc Communism. Besides we hear of the re-armament of the East in such astounding figures, and on the other hand of such a hopeless lack of defense of the West that it is difficult to believe that the West will think of its strength at the right time. Especially the English, (over)

Creator

• Brown, Theophilus

Language

• English

Identifier

• MS02.01.29.391
• 1949_1_385

Keyword

• diary

Year

• 1949

Date created

• 1949-12-21

Related url

•  https://digital.wpi.edu/show/2n49t5074

Resource type

• Image

Source

• MS02.01.29.391.432

Last modified

• 2023-09-06