European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Observations Page 4 rises As Milton Greenberg guest column is c were excited and nervous at. The same time. As Gur Van headed cast to the Border be tween East and West Germany that Day in May i told my Driver spec Brian Pigott that what we would Sec today would be history. A few weeks ago american soldiers  come within one Kilometre of the Border a Short time from now the Border will be gone its fences torn Down a a there a the sign Briana a 1 shouted As i saw the Small sign just outside of the West German town of . A attention 50 meters to the Border. Turn off Here a we parked the Van and headed up a Hill. We had Only gone a few Steps when i saw the Border Marker signifying that one More step would take us into East German territory. The Marker looked like a tall thin grave. Stone. It stood almost 10 feet High with the colors of East Germany painted in Barber Polc fashion across it. The Marker was chipped and pockmarked just like the Berlin Wall there on the other Side of the Border were two members of the East German army. It looked like they were repairing the Border Fence. I shouted to them in German identifying ourselves. Then i asked if we could take a photo.1 Quot Jaja a was their reply i  believe that we were doing this. ,1 also  believe what the East German guards were doing. Instead of mending the Fence they Tore a Hole in it and put up a sign. My Best translation of the sign said that at 8 that morning the leaders of West Germany and East Germany had agreed to open this Border crossing As a sign of Friendship and Freedom i looked at my feet. There was a piece of the Border Fence that someone must have clipped off in a previous attempt to break through. A a souvenir Quot i said to my soldiers. We thanked the guards went Back into the Van and took of for another Border spot. A Short drive took us to the Edge of a wildlife Refuge. Again we stopped. The Border Between East and West pfc Many is not a straight line. At this location especially the Border fences look More like a Jigsaw Puzzle than a Border. We were asking ourselves whether what we were seeing was East German West Germany or both countries As we approached the White posts with the Blue bands that signify the end of West German territory the Border Fence is entirely in East Germany we saw a group of East germans both children and adults walk up to the Fence on their Side. We saw that they looked intently at our uniforms. 1 am sure they were just As curious about us As we were about them. 1 asked in German if they were from East Germany. A Jaja a was the reply. Then 1 asked if they wanted a group photo. Again they answered yes. One of our soldiers approached the Fence and attempted to arrange them in some sort of a group pose. Then he took the shot. We thanked them and turned to leave when i saw a group of West germans standing dose by. I walked Over to them and motioned them to come up to the Fence to meet the East germans. To our Surprise they did. What an Odd sight this was. Germans East and West men and women boys and girls eyeing each other shaking hands and touching through the Fence. We watched the scene we had arranged from afar As our photographer gleefully snapped away with his camera. I no lived he was focusing his attention on two children holding hands through the Fence. After five minutes this Chance meeting ended and the two groups left to go their separate ways. As we walked Back to the Van i though about the irony of the last few minutes. Americans getting the two Germany together. And i knew that in a few Short months that these unions would not be by Chance and they would not be temporary. Mutton l Oren two or. Is Public a if airs officer of 3rd support Conid  Garmany a thanks for writing the sunday Magazine has received such a Good response to its request for guest columns that a backlog hats Deve oped. If you Haven a it seen your column yet be patient if it is selected for publication it will be appearing soon. Feedback do you think German unification is Good for germans for americans spec. Erwin Lopez 83rd Field arty act Monta Baur West Germany unification is Good for the germans it will bring families Back together. Its not so Good Lor the United slates. I see us leaving Germany real Quick. Dee Muller military family member in West Germany unification is a great idea for both countries aggravates me that we both have some false impressions of each other. I wish i Here a be More exchanges Between countries to get rid of those impressions. Staff sgt. Jarvis Bryant 60th Ord co Friedberg West Germany 1 think its a Good idea because Germany was unified before and i think it should be again instead of being separate. I think America plans to Cut Back on americans in Germany and 1 think its a Good idea. Sgt. Eugene Paulauskas i09thmp co., Frank furl West Germany i think it is Good for Germany there a noway Germany can Goon like it is divided and families split up. Its Good Hgt a America because ii a Good to have Strong allies. I think unification will provide for a Strong Europe pfc Sean Lambert d co 3 7th eng Camp Esch bom near Frankfurt West Germany unification is a Good thing for those in the . Military who want to get out and i intend to get out in a couple of years. Of piled by Star. And stripes staff sunday july 8, vj3d