Germans Wonder How Long Boom Will Last

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30054, 12 February 1963, Page 2

Germans Wonder How Long Boom Will Last

Underlying the boom of Western Germany was a strong feeling of pessimism with people wondering how long the present prosperity would last, Mrs Maria Moore told members of the Christchurch Federated Business and Professional Women’s Club, last evening. Mrs Moore, a German now married to a New Zealander and herself a naturalised New Zealander, was ‘ giving her impressions of Germany gained from a recent visit after being away for 15 years. “The nenr»le ar* nft

But they are living very much from day to day. The feeling is that the boom could disappear overnight. X was advised not to leave any money in a German bank,” she said. The pace of life was terrific. It was like being in a beehive, said Mrs Moore. Traffic streamed along every available road and buildings were going up everywhere. Entering East Germany required unlimited patience. There were numerous formalities, mostly of the pinpricking variety, coupled with waits of two or three hours for no apparent reason and checkpoints and barriers.

“The East German officials do not volunteer any information unasked and their attitude is one of sickening superiority,” she said.

The loudspeakers blaring out propaganda were just as bad—if not worse—as in Hitler’s time, recalled Mrs Moore.

With relatives on both sides of the Berlin wall, Mrs Moore was very much aware of the tragedy it had caused. “I would not like to say just what will happen or how things will end,” she said.