European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 8, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Utile room atthe top continued from Page 13 management positions is just As Low in the United states and other european countries. Women believe however that if barriers Are broken Germany will be the last id traditional role of women in Germany has been that of Kinder. Koufie and Kiichle children Kitchen and Church until 1977, women legally could Only take employment outside the Home if it was compatible with their duties in marriage and Amity. Men had Tho final say. Today the Law reads that husband and wite must come to agreement Over household and vocational duties. Ingrained attitudes however die hard. Male employers is ill expect to receive 1 it employees when they hire a and Only Hall an employee when they hire a Itoman notes Tho Scala report. Their reasoning a comes Wilh a Wile who protects him irom daily worries. A woman to the contrary can t escape personal chores certainly not it she has children. Employers also complain that if a Irma la employee becomes pregnant the firm not Only faces the cos of leave Lime but also the risk of future absences. In Germany after women have worked from iwo to Lour years and Are in Tho if mid-20s, the employer seems to hold his breath said Cathy Malz president of the Frankfurt forum a club which provides support Tor professional women. The attitude is of my god is she going to gel married now and leave us women Are practically driven to make a decision Aslo Progress is slow but Are beginning to listen to female complaints about Lack of professional banker Camilla or Ortbach Gnath whether la have a car Many now Are Stic said. They Are willing amount of independen against lha will of a tit costs a marriage. Those woman is than jus a Job they \ their work and they w another problem is the stereotyped we my Mother said w their femininity said i Don t believe tha profession though 11 acting in a vary silly if naive Whan i was quit going on afterwards i Wou my own behaviour and i old. Ii took some Yei pattern of jobs Are tailored i Camilla Krebsbach a Bank fur remain warts Ujj 1 Germany. This numb nothing new. The pm has always been hip most of the jobs ii definitely women s d secretarial work furs the German Greer stressing ecology am for professionals Frankfurt s forum a club that Cater exclusively to the established professional woman is one of a kind in West was just what Cathy Mali the president was looking Tor when Sho discovered it 3vz. Years ago.,. Professionally mat had no complaints. At m. Having made a successful switch from the restaurant business to an executive Povilon Wilh a Large corporation she now was working As a financial consultant to German firms. She Felt a personal Lack however. She regretted that she had Solitto Contact with other professional women. I had been a member of a number of clubs. Too olten i found i did t have much in common with the women who were married and rearing children she said then she spotted a Little and in a women s club newsletter that held Promise. Ii announced lha first meeting of a women s professional group. That was her introduction to if forum whose founder Elizabeth Passela had been in a networking group in the United states and knew according to Mali what it could do Lor motivation and career. Networking an american concept dates Back to late 60s Early 70s and according to Malz involves meetings and seminars covering concepts and problems women face in the business world. Forum said Malz is limited to women who have Lour of live years of experience in the business world where they either hold executive " positions have their own company or oversee staffs. Our goal is to establish a support system and. Business contacts for executive women and further the appreciation and understanding of various professions and nationalities she said. Regular formal and informal meetings Are held thai feature speakers and panel discussions designed to. Target specific professional has grown from 15 Active members to More than 100 members. Initially forum conducted its meetings in English. But As More and More German women joined the organization it began Oll Cring More German programs mat said. Now we hold the majority of programs in German. Trie forum is made up of a very self conf Deal group of business women said Ivl Atz but seeing the problems they have had in gaining male acceptance and jobs to their abilities prompted me to begin another project. She and a Small group of women Are working to establish a woman s resource Center similar to the one in Palo Alto Calif., which was recommended to Hatz As one of the Best in the United Stales / it provides information training and career planning for women. We Are trying to adapt that concept to German she said noting int Lewels no Way you can Transfer an american idea with the exception perhaps of Mcdonald s directly Onlo German soil. The forum is for women who Haye established themselves in their careers the resource Center will be open to All women. We plan to Otler information for women going into business trying to decide on a career or having problems in their said Maz. have sen out letters and have already held some seminars we also were interviewed on radio about the project which brought a big pressure irom women s groups has generated political action. -.-. -. Malz said that professor Rila Sussmuth he German. Federal minister of youth family a lairs women and health visited. Ins resource Center Lor women in Palo Alto Calif. This past year to gather ideas on How the advancement of women can be furthered Sussmuth is a member of tha ruling Christian democratic Union the opposition social democrats Sudj also have taken a keen interest in furthering women s role in society. On aug. 30 at its the party Day in monster a proposal to assign parly scats on a quota basis according to sex was voted in by a Large majority. The ruling immediately gives women a third of lha spa s party seats. By 998, women will occupy at. Leas a fourth of All offices and Delegate positions in the party. " . Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday not
