Germany holds more to see now that Berlin Wall is gone

Special to The Journal

BERLIN, Germany Germany has changed.

As the impact of the Berlin Wall's destruction in 1989 spreads through the country, the one thing about which all Germans seem to agree is that it will take years, even generations, for East and West to become fully integrated.

Now, there is much unhappiness on both sides. West Germans are tired of subsidizing East Germans, and East Germans feel that help in rebuilding is what they have coming.

Does removal of the wall affect the tourist trade? Definitely. Traffic is down now that it's no longer there to see.

But the fact is that there is much more to see now than in past years. Fascinating places. From August the Strong

In Dresden, for example, you can see the very beginning of a $17 million restoration project, a museum of porcelain pieces dating back to the 1700s and Saxon king August the Strong's fabulous treasury of jewels. (You'll also learn that August was interested in more than jewels; his 100-or-so mistresses are reputed to have borne more than 300 children.)

In East Berlin, the Pergamon's precious collection of 2,000-year-old artifacts is now open.

Near Eisennach, the Wartburg Castle is a great tourist attraction. It's where Martin Luther translated the New Testament from Greek to German in one 10-month period.

In nearby Erfurt, you'll find 33 houses built on a medieval bridge. Jobless Rate Takes Toll

Forty years behind the Iron Curtain has taken a toll on East Germans. Unemployment in the area hovers around 17%, primarily due to antiquated equipment. In some small towns that depend on a single industry, a startling 80% of the employable population lack jobs.

Cranes are at work everywhere, putting up prefabricated buildings. East Germany is in its early stages of landmark restoration; West Germany is far ahead.

In road construction, the West is light-years ahead. Traffic on its any-speed-goes autobahns moves like clockwork.

Drivers in West Germany are considered fast, but safe. Germans can drink at age 16, but can't legally drive until they are 18. Driver tests are stringent. It takes 30 to 40 hours of training to qualify for a license, and one- half who apply fail on their first attempt.

The growing number of Mercedes among Germany's 60 million cars testifies to prosperity in the West. The East German Trabant, the "paper car" that pollutes the air as much as 100 West German autos, is disappearing fast. West Germans are demolishing them and turning them into bricks. Pollution abounds

There is little doubt that pollution is a big problem all across Germany. Besides auto exhaust, the large amount of coal used for heating houses has left a heavy layer of soot on buildings and statues that makes them look older than they actually are.

Some sights one might expect to see in the East are missing:

Neo-Nazi "skinheads." We traveled nearly 2,500 miles over two weeks and didn't see a single one.

Signs of Germany's deep recession. As a tourist, we saw no evidence of it. Prices are high all over Germany. Lunches start at $15, dinners start at $25 and quickly jump to $50. A bottle of beer is $4.

Northern and eastern Germany has long been considered Protestant, and southern and western Germany Catholic. About 10% across the country now say they attend church regularly in some of the most beautiful old churches that you'll see anywhere.

Castles remain another principal attraction. Heidelberg's is typical: Outside, it's all red stone from nearby quarries, and inside it's nothing short of fantastic.

In Sans Souci, Frederick the Great's haven and now his burial place, it took authorities almost 200 years to grant his dying wish: In 1991, his 11 dogs were reburied near his grave.

The German sense of humor shows in the nicknames they use for buildings and places. Some examples:

A statue of Frederick the Great is known as "Old Fritz."

The bombed-out Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is the "Hollow Tooth."

A sculpture on a rubble hill is the "Memorial to an Unknown Scrap Dealer."

The Congress Hall is the "Pregnant Oyster."

The big, busy Kurfustendamn shopping street in West Berlin becomes "The Ku'damm."

Most visitors and locals alike agree that the top attraction of the Ku'damm is the sixth-floor food hall of Berlin's mammoth department store, the KaDeWe. In the 65,000-square-foot emporium, you'll find 400 kinds of bread, 1,800 varieties of sausage and cold cuts and 1,800 types of cheese.

Newell G. Meyer, a retired vice president of Journal Communications, has been a frequent visitor to Germany, both before and since reunification.

Copyright 1995
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