Comments on: An Empirical Test: Capitalism vs. Socialism in Post-War Germany http://www.gmsplace.com/?p=3144 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:28:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Mark Amagi http://www.gmsplace.com/?p=3144&cpage=1#comment-1785 Mark Amagi Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:39:47 +0000 http://www.gmsplace.com/?p=3144#comment-1785 Thanks for the eye witness account GM. I've only been to West Germany in the late '60s. So far, I haven't met a German who would have preferred life in the East. Thanks for the eye witness account GM. I’ve only been to West Germany in the late ’60s. So far, I haven’t met a German who would have preferred life in the East.

]]> By: GM Roper http://www.gmsplace.com/?p=3144&cpage=1#comment-1784 GM Roper Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:28:27 +0000 http://www.gmsplace.com/?p=3144#comment-1784 Excellent post Mark, and one that I personally saw in action in the 50's. As an Army brat in Germany (1953 -57) I remember seeing in what was then nicknamed "West Germany" bombed out buildings, the shell was still there, <a href="http://www.galenfrysinger.com/europe/heidelberg09.jpg" rel="nofollow">sometimes all the way up to the second and third floors</a> or perhaps only the concrete lined basement with grass growing in the bottom but no rubble in evidence. Now understand, these buildings had thick walls, often a foot or more But that was the exception and not the rule. On the other hand, East Berlin, as seen from West Berlin before the wall (spring, <a href="http://www.galen-frysinger.com/regional/berlin06.jpg" rel="nofollow">1957</a> - I was 10 years old) the <a href="http://www.galen-frysinger.com/regional/berlin04.jpg" rel="nofollow">bombed out building</a> was the rule and not the exception, complete with rubble from time to time. The comparison between East and West was stark. Decades later, traveling in Berlin both East and West after the fall of the Wall (we were in Berlin on the afternoon of September 11, 2001 and news of the terrorist attack on New York became known around 5PM or 6PM their time.) and the difference, some 44 years later in fact, was amazing. East Germany, now part of the Federal Republic was a pleasure to walk through. Stepping through the huge Brandenburg Gate, strolling through <a href="http://galen-frysinger.org/germany/berlineast04.jpg" rel="nofollow">Check</a> <a href="http://galen-frysinger.org/germany/berlineast05.jpg" rel="nofollow">Point</a> <a href="http://galen-frysinger.org/germany/berlineast06.jpg" rel="nofollow">Charlie</a> with no East German Police giving you the eye, visiting the Reichstag. Yes, a world of difference indeed. Let the left explain that difference and surely they will say "Yes, a socialist Federal Republic" or "Yes, a left leaning Federal Republic," but the truth is simple: It was Capitalism, and only fools can doubt it. Excellent post Mark, and one that I personally saw in action in the 50′s. As an Army brat in Germany (1953 -57) I remember seeing in what was then nicknamed “West Germany” bombed out buildings, the shell was still there, sometimes all the way up to the second and third floors or perhaps only the concrete lined basement with grass growing in the bottom but no rubble in evidence. Now understand, these buildings had thick walls, often a foot or more But that was the exception and not the rule. On the other hand, East Berlin, as seen from West Berlin before the wall (spring, 1957 – I was 10 years old) the bombed out building was the rule and not the exception, complete with rubble from time to time. The comparison between East and West was stark.

Decades later, traveling in Berlin both East and West after the fall of the Wall (we were in Berlin on the afternoon of September 11, 2001 and news of the terrorist attack on New York became known around 5PM or 6PM their time.) and the difference, some 44 years later in fact, was amazing. East Germany, now part of the Federal Republic was a pleasure to walk through. Stepping through the huge Brandenburg Gate, strolling through Check Point Charlie with no East German Police giving you the eye, visiting the Reichstag. Yes, a world of difference indeed.

Let the left explain that difference and surely they will say “Yes, a socialist Federal Republic” or “Yes, a left leaning Federal Republic,” but the truth is simple: It was Capitalism, and only fools can doubt it.

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