Reunification of Germany

Oct. 2 will go down as a historic day in European history. Germany has become one nation from two. Unlike the trends in other nations in Europe, Germany will have one nation with two different economies. The East will remain for the near future a poor sister in the new family.

As we see in other nations such as Yugoslavia, the poor states strive for a better piece of the pie or even independence from the more prosperous states. Bosnians and Macedonians have a much tougher time than their fellow Yugoslavs, the Serbians, Croatians and Slovenes. The union forged by Tito is close to breaking down. The Soviet Union is feeling the pressure of secession from several states (referred to as “republics”). Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia recently were permitted to issue their own postage stamps for the first time in a half-century--one of the first steps in independence from the mother country. Ethnic minorities in Soviet Asia are struggling for more autonomy if not total independence.

Only time will tell if the old East Germany will be the second-class part of the union or eventually catch up to the West and become an equal partner in the new 4th Republic of Germany. And judging from the blinding speed which led one event to another to this day, the time may be shorter than expected.

SOL TAYLOR

Newport Beach