Evening star., 1950-03-30
Educator Says Youth
0fWest Reich Is Still
Easy Marxist Target

LuSy FiulAISl IulyCi |
HEIDELBERG, Mar. "a (By
AirmaiD (NANA). West Ger
man youth has not received
enough democratic instructions to
drown memories Of what they
were taught under Hitler and
thus remain an easy target for
Marxist indoctrination, according
to 31-year-old DR.. Hermann Kesel
of the South African boys town
at Kimberley, who has been on a
study tour that took him through
Japanese and European areas.
In an exclusive interview before
leaving for home, he declared:
Our preachers Of democracy are
not forceful enough nor effective
enough. How many schools in
West Germany give a course in
democracy? If you compare
teaching here with the teaching
of Marxist doctrine in the schools
and universities of East Germany,
nothing is being done here at all.
Il saw no teaching of civics; of
how to be good citizen; Of how
governments are elected in West
ern democracies; of the response
bilities of the elected to the elec-
tors.
"One kid told me President
Truman had been given his posi-
ton by the occupation forcesi
When I told young people I
had listened to Lord Haw-Haw
and other German radio propa-
gandists during the war, they
asked: Didn't you get shot for
that?'
Exchange Teachers Urged.
Whatever efforts have been
made to reach German youth
and I am told they are consider
able-have had little effect in my
opinion from observation. There
should be an exchange teacher in
every school. Occupation chill
dren are educated apart from
German children and so the Ger
man child learns next to nothing
from them.
1.-THE American way Of life
seems to appeal more to the Japs
than the Germans. Japs realize
that English is the language Of
economics and an international
medium. The Germans don't.
Many seem to think to learn Eng
lish degrades them. More Japs I
met spoke English than the Ger
mans I met. And they belonged
to approximately the same cross
sections.
In Japan. used English to
get along. Here 1 had to adapt
my Afrikaans to Germany!
Sees Old Germany Back.
THE impression / am taking
back of technical education and
of professional education in the
medical schools Is academically
good. But I am worried on the
political side. The same old Ger
many will come back in another
form as present-day youth ma
lures unless we counterattaco
vigorously now with democratic
ideas and practices" DR.. Kesel
declared.
Unless the kids are taught
what constitutes good govern
ment. you will find clique back
In power.
Youth is resentful of condi-
tions, imposed upon them by the
American occupation. A child
born in the Hitler years had no
influence on policy. But he suf-
fered with his parents and he
saw his parents suffer In the
postwar years of deprivation and
hunger. Now as boys and girls
grow up, they find a desperate
situation of unemployment" DR..
Kesel said.
Extra Meals Cited.
United States sources have been
providing extra meals for school
children which have been much
appreciated on the nutrition level.
They arose out of ex-President
Herbert Hoover's recommenda-
tions and are due to become a
German government responsibility
after June 30.
Commenting on this type of ac-
tivity, DR.. Kesel said: "A doctor
may give extra food to an under
nourished patient. But the pa
tient does not regard the doctor
as benefactor. The German
child regards him as a paid Of
fetal doing his job. A proper ap-
probation Of human relations can
only be inculcated by education"