BERLIN

Berlin is a city that has perfected the concept of “you do you”.

All walks of life live together as neighbors, and as long as no one gets in the others way, everyone is free to be uniquely them. It’s not uncommon for people to leave their empty bottles under the trash can, so someone who needs the money can take the bottle and get the money for recycling it. It works. It’s an unspoken system. While we were eating curry wurst a homeless man wanted to inspect the trash under each table for bottles. Instead of shooing him away, people moved over so he could get his bottles and move on. The streets stay cleaner and recycling works efficiently.

I was surprised to learn homosexuality was a crime in Germany until 1994. However, Berlin never enforced this rule. Berlin was a safe haven for homosexuals all over Europe until Hitler caused a disruption.

After the war Berlin was completely encapsulated by communism. It’s this tiny purple dot surrounded by a sea of red communism.

The capitalist that lives inside me finds it innately difficult to imagine communism as a better way of life. Nevertheless, there are people out there who believe it a better way than life in the West. This fascinated me. Why did they like it? What was their favorite part? What did it feel like? It seems that the best word I can use to describe what they liked is contentment. They always had enough, and they never had to worry about things like rent and food. The government provided everyone a flat, the same flat everyone else got, but nonetheless they could all breath a sigh of relief because they had shelter.

When I think about communism, it immediately makes me think that someone would be stripping me of something.
I was interested to learn that women could vote in communist Germany since the 50’s, while the women of the West were not able to vote until 1972. That is because communism is about equality. The divorce rate was higher in the communist East, because a women didn’t have to wonder where she and her children would live. She could leave her husband without worry knowing the government had an identical flat waiting for her! After visiting Germany and diving deep into their culture, I do have a greater understanding of why people like communism. However, I personally still love capitalism and I enjoy the journey of the climb to see what’s next for me. I don’t crave an identical flat and a monthly government supply of toothpaste. Still not feeling the Bern, sorry Sanders.

I was fortunate to meet a man while I was there who escaped the East, as many people did. He was good at sports and was exercising on roof tops when he managed to jump across the wall to a neighboring West building. He said his first memory was the smells of the West – perfumes, restaurants, and flowers permeated the air. His family was harshly punished after he deserted the East and left for a life in the West. He said it was terrifying and he still feels bad about the treatment his family received after he escaped.

Finally, the East collapsed into the arms of the West. This was an interesting time for both the Easterners and Westerners. Some people from the East relished in the new found freedom, while others longed for the days of contentment. Some Western people we not happy about these Eastern Germans coming over. They didn’t want their problems, and saw them as poor and not successful. Today this sentiment still very much exists.

You will hear people refer to others as Westies or Easties, and it doesn’t exactly seem to be a term of endearment.