UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27737, 15 August 1955, Page 15

UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

PRESENT SITUATION IMPOSSIBLE VIEWS OF VISITING BUSINESSMAN Russian domination of Eastern Germany could not possibly last indefinitely, and the Russians there had no hope of converting the people there to Soviet doctrines, said Mr Walter Duschek, who is visiting New Zealand for the firm of Obermaier and Company, Neustadt-Weinstrasse, Western Germany. “Some day common sense will bring about a united Germany—not force; the German people have suffered enough by fighting,” he said yesterday. “A foreign power cannot just come along and split millions of people of the one race in their own country. Just imagine how New Zealanders would feel if the North and South Islands were divided in this way.” There was no legal right to justify the impossible situation of a divided Germany, and the people would not tolerate it, he said. The country could not make progress until the East and West were united and the nation made whole again. “I believe that the United States and Britain are sincere in their efforts to bring about a united Germany, but I am not so sure about France’s motives,” he said. “There is no reason at all why France and Germany should not be friendly nations, but they have always quarrelled.” Mr Duschek’s firm manufactures machinery for dyeing and bleeching fabrics. It is one of the oldest factories ofWts kind in the world, and is well known throughout the world to the dyeing trade. Since World War II the company has been specialising in pressure dyeing machines and new high-temperature equipment. Before the last war German dyes were regarded as the best on the market, but they are now rivalled by the Swiss products. Neustadt-Weinstrasse is situated in the heart of the historic wine-growing district of Rheinpfalz, close to the French border and near the Black Forest. This is the country that produces the sweet and heavy German wines, such as Mussbacher-Eselhaut, Koenigsbacher-Oelberg, and Liebrtrauenmilch.

Mr Duschek’s world business trip has already taken him to South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, India, the Philippines, and Australia. When he leaves New Zealand he will return to the Philippines before going to Japan, South Korea, India again, and Pakistan.