European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Hig etting to know Eastern Germany Schwerin population 130,685 Schwerin is the oldest German City charter 1160 East of the Elbe. Today the City is mainly an agricultural area but it is also an important rail and Road Junction. Brandenburg population 94,872 Brandenburg was formed in 1715 by uniting two villages on opposite Banks of the Havel River. Today it is an Industrial and shipbuilding Center. Magdeburg population 290,579 Magdeburg founded around 805, was a Leader of cities in the hanseatic league. It was almost obliterated during the thirty years War and did not Rise again into prominence until industrialization in the 19th Century. It was East Germany s largest Inland port. Halle population 236,044 Halle is the Birthplace of composer George Frideric Handel in 1685. Today the City is a chemical Center with grave pollution problems. Erfurt population 220,016 Erfurt founded in 742, was one of the most powerful and largest German cities in the Middle Ages. Martin Luther studied there in 1392. Rostock population 253,990 Rostock was East Germany a largest port on the Baltic. The University of Rostock founded in 1419, was the Center of protestant 17th. Century Reform. Frankfurt an Der Oder population 87,863 Frankfurt an Der Oder was founded in 1226. It is an important Industrial Center and a main rail connection for Trade to the East Potsdam population 142,862 Potsdam was first mentioned As a 10th Century fishing Village. The allies met in the City in 1945 and agreed upon the disarmament of Germany and its division into four occupation , population 63,412 Weimar was the residence of Many of Germany s great literary figures including Goethe and Schiller. After world War i the German National Assembly met in the City to draft the Weimar Republic which lasted from 1919 until Hitler founded his third Reich in 1933. Dresden population 518,057 Dresden was the third largest City in East Germany and is an important manufacturing Center. It was the capital of Saxony from the 16th Century to 1871. The City was heavily damaged in an Allied bombing attack in 1945 that killed at least 35,000. Leipzig population 545,307 Leipzig was East Germany s second largest City. It is the Home of one of the world s largest Trade fairs and until world War ii was an important Book Center. The City chartered around 1160, has been Germany Scenter of socialism. In new country old Laws live by Mary Neth staff writer West Berlin resident Helga Runge has discovered that a unified Germany wont necessarily be governed under a unified set of Laws. A i May not be Able to drink and drive Over there in East Germany. But i could have an abortion without any trouble a Runge said. The differences that Runge mentioned Are just two examples showing that German reunification is far from a perfect Legal fit. The key to regulating the new country is a close to 1,000-Page treaty containing 45 articles that was worked out in difficult negotiations Between the two German countries. The document covers everything from Drunken driving and abortion to less serious matters like use of Garden plots. The human issues created the most controversy in the negotiations. At the top of that list was abortion. Under East German Law abortion is allowed up to the 12th week. In West Germany abortions Are allowed Only when special medical genetic ethical or social factors Are present. The East germans won the first round of the debate. Both sides agreed that the East germans could retain the More Liberal abortion Law within the new German states of Brandenburg Mecklenburg Vor Pommert Sachsen Anhalt Sachsen Thi Ringen and in the area of former East Berlin. Next a knotty problem arose. What would happen to a woman from the West who went East for an abortion could she be taken to court and punished under West German Law or would East German Law prevail eventually negotiators agreed that the old rules would remain in effect in the areas where they applied before reunification. But the treaty allows a West German woman to have a Legal abortion in the new German states and to take advantage of the free medical care that still will be offered there. To wrap up their decision the politicians added a paragraph to the treaty promising that by dec. 31,1992, the country a new parliament would pass a new Law on the sensitive subject. The negotiators ran into a few other problems As they tried to straighten out the countries Legal curves. One was the difference Between their definitions of Drunken driving. In East Germany a blood alcohol level above 0.0 pro Mille a ratio of one part alcohol to a thousand parts blood is considered Drunken driving. By comparison West Germany does not consider a person completely unable to be behind the wheel until a blood alcohol rate of 1.1 pro Mille has been reached. Relative inability to drive is judged at 0.8 pro Mille. If a traffic violation or an Accident is involved a Driver with More than 0.3 pro Mille can be punished for Drunken driving. Here again the areas of former East Germany were allowed to retain the Law of the East for at least two More years. Speed limits also will vary Between the two states. In the East the 100-Ldlometer an hour 62.2 Mph Law remains in effect for autobahn travel for the next two years. In West Germany there Are no Speed limits on autobahn unless posted. Drivers in East Germany however will have to give up their Legal right to turn right on a red Light. That a been ruled a no no because it does not conform to european wide driving standards. Even Small Garden plots required negotiators to cultivate a Compromise. Areas divided into a multitude of Small gardens have had a Long tradition in both Ger Many. They originally were the idea of a or. Daniel Schreber 1808-1861who saw such gardens As a Way for a City a poor to grow food for themselves and gain outdoor exercise. In West Germany Small gardens Are run on a Community basis and the size of buildings on the plots is limited to prevent the land from being used for real estate. In East Germany people have been Able to build normalized one and two bedroom a a summer Homes on their lots. The treaty allows them to continue using the land for such permanent Homes. The treaty also a gives East German citizens who were politically persecuted by the communist party the right to seek  the rehabilitation of these victims is to be tied to appropriate compensation. A addresses the Issue of the return of private property. In East Germany at the end of the 1980s, 95 percent of Industry and land was in the hands of the government. With reunification the plan is to it this property step by step Back into private ands. In cases where the original owner cannot regain the property the courts will have the right to decide the amount of damages that can be demanded by him. A guarantees that educational degrees earned under the East German regime still will be honoured. _ the stars and stripes special report Page 11