From The Dubois County Daily Herald
December 20, 1950

HARK THE HERALD

The Other Side of Germany
by A. T. Rumbach

First impressions, however, are often mistaken ones.   That time had not stood still even in this quaint German village, we were soon to learn upon entering our pro tempore home.   We entered through the shop, well-stocked with bread, rolls and pastries, and an assortment of canned goods and staple groceries and sweets.   We were escorted thence to our room above the shop.   It was as neatly and comfortably furnished as the one we occupied in the Carlton-Tivoli in Lucerne, or any other hotel on our tour – twin beds, box spring mattresses, fluffy featherbeds, nice night tables with electric lamps and comfortable chairs. A bathroom with flowing hot and cold water was adjacent.  

The large cozy living quarters boasted a radio which was giving out dinner-music provided by a good orchestra in Stuttgart as we sat down to a substantial meal.   The bake oven in the bakery which we inspected after the evening repast, is thoroughly modern.   One can see from this that the way of life in Germany and America are not too much at variance.

When one considers that the “old countries” have seven or eight centuries of living and traditions behind them, it is easier to see, perhaps, they are slower in adopting new customs and abandoning old and familiar habits.

In fact, in many things such as hydro-electric power development, prevention of soil erosion and methods of conservation and many other scientific and technical departments, they are ahead of us.   During our stay, we made numerous pictures, indoor as well as out, with a fine German camera.  

I would not for one moment want to be guilty of discourtesy of making our hosts feel that we lay claim to any sense of superiority.   That, probably, is the all-prevailing sin of us Americans, abroad as well as at home.   Because our country has made phenomenal strides in some fields and is the wealthiest in the world, we often conclude that this superiority is all-inclusive.   No intelligent person would make such a claim.   We have so many things of which we can justly be proud, and they have so many things which we must admire, that there is no sense in boasting or exaggerated claims.

The old adage prescribing a rule of conduct with one’s neighbors applies here perfectly:

There’s so much bad in the best of us,

There’s so much good in the worst of us,

That it behooves none of us.

To speak ill of the rest of us.

There was a strong tendency in America especially during World War I to condemn and diparage everybody and everything in and pertaining to Germany.   Even the study of the German language and literature was banned in our schools.   German opera and music was banned.   Some went so far as to omit German foods from their menus, and German customs in general were taboo.   This tendency was much less prevalent during World War II.

In spite of this, many of the soldiers of both wars who were over there bearing the brunt of the war and later were in Germany in the army of occupation – men who had the opportunity to observe the industry, thrift and real character of the German people – returned with the conviction that Germany of all the countries of Europe, is more worthy of assistance, because its people, even after the calamity of two world wars, were doing their utmost to help themselves.