Evening star., 1948-05-07
LIVING IN GERMANY.
/Fron Y. M. WnshfnUtOn J

Reference V. P. R. HIS request for
Information about Germany in
RICH, the following is my reaction
10 life there:
Don't be worried about your So
journ in Occupied Germany. Al
though you will have many more
privileges as the wife of an Army
man than I did as working girl"
still say my tour of duty over
there gave me a much wider out
look on life and made bigger and
better person of me.
I spent two and one half years
in Frankfurt and Berlin, returning
to the States in September, 1947,
and l can assure you it was some
what Of disappointment when I
came back. Your life will be even
better than mine because, as l ex-
pressed it to one dependent" when
I showed her my improvised re-
frigerator and she told me to call
the quartermaSter to get a real one,
Il came over to work for living
The main grippe of the girls of the
working occupation army after the
dependents arrived was that we did
not have commissary privileges or
as good housing conditions, but we
didn't suffer too much even from
that disadvantage.
The Army provides the best of
living quarters for their personnel
and families, commiSsary privileges
with the best foods at much less
cost than you can buy them in the
United States milk as we'll as many
fresh vegetables are imported from
Denmark, sales stores and post
exchanges with wide assortment
of necessities and luXurieS and other
items on the legal market too nu-
merous to mention. You will be
provided certain servants, depend
ing on the size of your family and
the size of your house. If you want
more servants you will have to pay
for them. I believe the rate is
less than SIS a month. Your son
can have private nurse who, If
you treat her right, will take a
complete interest in him and do for
him as if he we're her own.
The best advice can give is
don't go over with chip on your
shoulder or with the idea we are the
conquerors and they are the under
dogs. Just remember the people
are human, but hungry.
AS for clothes for yourself, take
all you can with you and make
arrangements with some store in
the States so that you can order
shoes from them. The sales stores
we're stocking a wider variety of
ready-made clothes, bulk materials
and shoes before l left there, but
the demand was still greater than
the supply. I also found they were
not always consistent. For in
stance, l could buy the bulk ma
terial and I had found wonder
full German seamstress to make my
clothes, but they didn't have the
necessary thread, zippers, ETC., that
goes with the putting together OF
a dress.
AZ for clothes for your growing
son, many of the Army wives have
teamed up on this problem and have
organized trading bazaars." There
are many others there with your
same problem and they have found
that by joining forces 1t. makes 1t
easier on all.
AZ for taking household furnish
ings. much there depends on how
fastidious you may be. A must
Is linens, bed sheets, towels, etc.
The Army will pack and ship your
furniture II you desire. but it can
also be procured there, although
what you get may not be entirely to
your liking.
In my opinion, this is one Of the
grandest opportunities your son will
ever be offered and hope that both
Of you will take full advantage Of
it. Germany and its surrounding
countries are beautiful and you
will be given an opportunity to visit
many Of them. Use this advantage
to its fullest. Learn the language
and allow your son to do the same.
It will probably be much easier for
him than for you. I believe the
shortest tour of duty there is for
two years and you can do lot of
good in that length of time.
I believe your best bet for in
formation on your dog is to have
your husband get that from the
Army. I know of no rules and
regula tons on bringing them back,
but to take them over is a new
problem.
One suggestion is to by all means
take q car with you If at all pos
sible. One of my biggest regrets
is the fact that I didn't have one
and consequently missed many of
the short trips which mean so
much. For instance, a trip from
Frankfurt to Luxembourg or Bel
GUM is a matter of about or 10
hours on very poor train, but to
go by car 1t takes about four hours
and you can be comfortable as well
"a see the beautiful countryside
during your travels. Or If you are
fortunate enough to be stationed In
the Bavaria area. Oberammergau,
h-Partenkirchen. Berchtes-
garten, Salzburg and many other
famous spots are practically at the
tips of your fingers If you have an
automobile.
know this sounds like rosy
picture. but it is my honest opinion.
Much Of. your happiness and COM
fort there will depend on you and
how you accept the situation.
True. there will be many things
which you will thoroughly dislike
but If you will make the best of
everything you have you will soon
learn how much good you can do
Many activities have been organ
lied among the Army wives to
spend their leisure time to help the
German youth and do many things
to make Germany a democratic
place to live. 1t will amaze you how
much you as an individual can do
TO further this cause. Needless to
say, l envy you your trip!