Christmas Round The World Good Supplies In East Germany

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29082, 19 December 1959, Page 11

Christmas Round The World Good Supplies In East Germany

(From a Reuter Correspondent)

EAST BERLIN. A 96ft high fir tree cut from ,an East German State forest I towers over the annual Christ- ■ mas market staged by the East Berlin authorities on Marx-Engels Square, the scene of Communist rallies and reviews. East Berliners will crowd : under the tree as they buy their own Christmas trees and fresh fruit and nuts, often unobtainable in shops. Newspapers have promised that the “cultural amuse-

ments” in the market will be better this year than previously, with open air film shows and a circus. For the children, there will be roundabouts and a “fairy tale wood” with animated displays of traditional stories. Christmas for the 17 million people of East Germany promises to be better this year than previously. The State are placing emphasis on the production of consumer goods in their efforts to equal West Germany in certain fields by 1961. However, the long summer drought has cast a shadow on festive preparations and difficulties in East German agriculture may be reflected on the Christmas table. In November, many shops were without eggs and the Government has banned the use of butter in hotels and bakeries and appealed to housewives to use it sparingly. The largest State store in East Berlin is attracting crowds of children with an animated display of teddy bears bn a rocket trip to the moon in its windows. Inside, the children’s parents will find a good selection of toys, including kits for the young chemist and electrician. Chocolates, sweets, decorations for Christmas trees and other Christmas essentials appear in plentiful supply, but in the past, pressure of Christmas buying has caused unexpected shortages. As in West Germany, Christmas in East Germany remains a traditional family festival, but travel restrictions will prevent. many from visiting relatives in West Germany or in West Berlin or from receiving visitors from there. Five to 10 days before Christmas, factory managements and unions arrange Christmas parties at the factories at which the workers’ children are given presents. In the past, these parties have given an opportunity for speakers to praise the materia] prospects of a Socialist community and denounce the “sentimentalities and mysticism” of the German Christmas.