European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse                                German t sgt Horst a. Sanden and his wife standing serve Coffee to Canadian and american noncom wives left and right As their daughter Marie looks on. Watch on the Rhine front. From Page 11 National air forces and tend to move toward coordination of Effort Compromise of differences and adjustment of the Vari Ous National peculiarities into a workable common  with integration still incomplete the staff of 4th Nataf will eventually be com prised of 40% . Personnel 24% French,20% German and 16% Canadian. The separate commands assigned tothe Nataf Are the French air Force Premier commandment aerie Taltique 1 Capac the Royal Canadian air Force 1 air division and main elements of Safe which comprise the largest single american air organization committed to nato. A German air Force Headquarters air group South and several fighter bomber wings have been assigned to nato an to 4th Nataf. Additional German air Force wings have been activated and will reassigned shortly. The Overall command of 4th Nataf is composed of More than 50,000 military and civilian personnel and their depend  Gen Frederic h. Smith jr., Usan assumed command of 4th Ata succeeding Gen f. F. Everest Usan. Integration has been stepped up to the Point now where German staff officers Are replacing slots held by americans an frenchmen. Top ranking German officer at Ramstein is col Rudolf Loe tved Hardegg Deputy chief of staff for logistics and administration. Other German staff members hold jobs in operations special plans and projects Man Euver control and electronics. As one Canadian no said after being Here awhile you discover that nationality becomes incidental. Many of our jobs make it necessary to speak at least two languages and what starts As what might be called compulsory communication results finally in lasting friendships and promotes better general understanding of our National differences. After awhile you Don t think in terms of what country a Friend or coworker comes from. And i guess that is the Best indication of Howell integration is working  Cpl Werner Schree Kling left of German unit reports to lit sgt Michael Bischof the stars and stripes you can always Tell a Long Tim american resident of Germany he shakes hands with everybody and never fails to bring Flowers when he s invited to dinner at the Home of German friends. But newcomers to the bundles Republic who figure that s All there is to it take  tradition sets much Stock by the kind of Flowers you bring and a wrong selection can get some unanticipated  you bring a bouquet of red roses to your hostess or Landlady on her birthday you be made a boo boo which you la be some time living Down. You might even get punched in the nose politely of  roses traditionally Are for brides and lovers you might be bewildered by your Landlady s response. And you might wind up As popular As a swarm of yellow jackets at a nudist convention if you selected White chrysanthemums and asters for your bread and butter offering. They re the traditional Flowers of death in Germany. A conservative bouquet of carnations in White or pastel shades is Best for taking to your hostess even if the Florist next to the graveyard has others for  you arrive for dinner German tradition Calls for you to unwrap the bouquet hide the paper and present the Flowers to your hostess ready for the vase. Best Way to Honor this custom is to fold up the wrapping paper and put it in your pocket. Good manners in Germany require a handshake for All but the most casual acquaintance. You shake when you re introduced just As you would in the u.s., and you shake when you leave. And that includes All the guests. If you re invited for a weekend with a German family you shake hands with everybody on retiring at night and then shake hands All around the next morn ing. A proper German handshake is firm and Short. Look the handshake in the Eye. Men Are expected to remove their gloves outdoors for handshaking and both men and women remove their gloves indoor for the same ritual. If guests drop in while you re cleaning your car Don t offer them a dirty hand. Ivy German tradition Calls for you to make excuses and then Wash up. I kissing hands is pretty much passe1, and most americans would never be expected to. An american woman might have her hand kissed As a special sort of compliment in some circles however. Germans adhere to the formal Sie form of address for All but theft closest  familiar do is for children animals and longtime close Friend. When two Ger mans agree to do each Ether they make a ritual of it. Tradition cells for them to drink to their Brueders chd with elbows interlocked. They re close friends Vii from there on out and tha pet to lend each other free to impose on each of most germans keep Tiv friends pretty Small and them if it Means lend ii i brotherhood rally Brothers moans they sex Loncy and feel a. R Circle of do of can t blame Money. Good German manners Call for Exten Sive use of titles and much formality even among those who work Side by Side and have known each other for years. Almost All forms of address begin with Herr or Frau mrs or Fraulein miss followed either by the individual s title function or family name. When there s a Choice you re expected to use the most venerated title. A Baron who also is a doctor of Law would probably prefer to be called Baron. A professor would be called Herr professor or perhaps More formally Herr professor doktor. Officers and officials of government and commercial enterprises take the title of their rank or function. Examples include Herr Oberst colonel err Lehrer teacher or Herr Direktor. Where an official has advanced to supervisory capacity make sure you tack that by Ralph Kennan staff writer Ober on the front of his title As in Herr inspector supervisory inspector and make sure you flatter the waiter by calling him Herr Ober or Obe Kellner head waiter even if he in t. Wives of husbands with rank or title Usu ally prefer to be addressed As Frau plus whatever their husband s title is. So the wife of a professor would More than Likely prefer to be called Frau professor or May be Frau professor doktor so and so. German etiquette also Calls for using Frau for spinsters or those whom they consider spinsters. This tradition is not popular with Amer ican Bachelor women on the Shady Side of 40, but apparently their German counter parts Don t mind. At least it s the tradition of the land. If she objects to being called Frau you might offer her a bouquet of red roses for flattery. Then Duck. Tuesday August 35, 1959 the stars and stripes Page 19