European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1950, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ludwig an old line social who devotes much of his free time to speaking at forums in an Effort to principles of you can no longer depend on me these were the words of the Young Man above who Felt that his raised and educated by was lost to the germans adopt an american Lorna in Germany is an old Man with White and a Young boy spelling out his first in to whom the name of Jitter is a confused Symbol identified with the Good old the War and the destruction of his Between these extremes lies the great mass of the German were nazis and whose dreams Are of past glories the former soldiers who feel the loss of the cause for which they fought As deeply As they would feel the loss of their manhood the former Hitler jugend j and Many of its distil j Lusio Ned ones who say a plague on both t your houses the politically indecisive ones who went along with Hitler and nazism and who go along with the democracy that the Western allies Are trying to teach a hard Core of responsive individuals who Are Labouring to break Down the autocratic concept that has been their heritage not Only since Hitler but Lor Many Genera with this latter group As a i american zone officials starting in the a qts of military government and continuing have promoted the Amer lean town meeting in communities Large and Small throughout the with some resoundingly encouraging successes and equally spectacular v these meetings in the Early Days were actively promoted and directed by usually resident of v but today the town meetings and their the Public Are almost wholly German sponsored and with americana present Only As some communities have seized so wholeheartedly on these meetings As a ii ans of civic expression that they seem icely to continue As an integral part of Community meetings Are held almost every Ture Section town meetings teach a lesson in h encourage the people to express themselves a stars and stripes report night somewhere in the in the town local problems of Broad Community interest Are discussed and there Are frequent instances where these popular assemblies have successfully influenced government action on local from these meetings the Ger mans have formed building associations to repair their War wrecked Community repaired roads established new schools and otherwise taken joint action which once would have been the sole responsibility of a Small group of local at the less formal Public local citizens gather to hear a usually a prominent political after which the debate becomes with the members of the audience arguing with the speaker in typical american demo the lives of Many who attend these meetings Span three German old the Weimar Republic and hitlers 3d today they witness new cratic a recent meeting in the Little town of whose excellent White wines have Given the British their generic term Rhine was typical the speaker was Ludwig of a social Democrat member of the Weimar republics the meeting was As such session usually in the a thus combining a social function with the serious business of the moment the citizens were seated at Long tables sipping their listening quietly or rising to take part in the general Dis the for the largest have been Quick to take advantage of the unusual Opportunity for self expression that the meetings have brought but in this instance their contribution was Sel Dom a constructive most of tie citizens seemed to regard the meeting As solely an Opportunity for them to air their personal the ultimate despair of Community leaders trying to set their feet on a democratic Long experience addressing postwar German audiences has taught Berg Straesser the prevalence of ignorance about the democratic so to this composed largely of but with a Liberal sprinkling of he devoted his talk to the abcs of parliamentary speaking As though he were addressing i class of school he explained How the parties Are the seating with left parties on one Sida and right parties on the the manner in which measures Are introduced and then he pointed out the advantages of a democratic system and need lot party he them take an interest in some political w