Eastern Europe and Germany

Christopher Bertram’s (“The Two Germanys Are Facts of Life, but Reunification Isn’t,” Op-Ed Page, Sept. 12) denial that German reunification is a realistic possibility is reassuring but fails to still doubts. Why do the West Germans give automatic citizenship to any East German who wants to claim it and is in a position to do so? Why do they open their doors wide to the new flood of East German refugees? Both actions demonstrate a sentiment for reunification that will not be denied forever. If and when it happens, it will be the most destabilizing event since the end of World War II.

Aside from the dominant, economic superpower status a reunified Germany would have in the European community, the political consequences would undoubtedly be a resurgent irredentism claiming the territories east of the Oder/Neisse line that were given to Poland after the war.

Despite the remarkable acquiescence in that settlement both Germanys have shown so far, I’m afraid this spirit could not survive reunification. These lands are as German as Iowa is American. They will be reclaimed, with foreseeable consequences that should give us pause.

ERNST JACOBI

Malibu