The Storied Cities of Central Europe

Located in the heart of Europe, Germany and Austria are central to anyone's thinking about the continent. Both countries suffered enormous devastation during the war, but recovered strongly in the years after. One of our correspondents recently visited this area, stopping in Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich in Germany and Austria's capital, Vienna.

Hamburgers and night life are what comes to mind when one thinks of Hamburg, but residents are at a loss to explain how their city came to be linked with two buns and a meat patty. The meat they put in their sandwiches is never minced.

A reliable explanation for the origin of the hamburger attributes its name to a boat, not the city. An ocean liner, the Hamburg-America, often carried many immigrants on its run across the Atlantic. To save money, the captain served a fare of minced meat, bread crumbs, and onions, sandwiched between two pieces of bread. Inexpensive and filling, the concoction made many fans among the passengers, who continued to eat it after they landed in the U.S. Later they named the food after the ship which brought them to their new home, a name which later evolved to hamburger.

Then there is the night scene. Port for ships from the Atlantic Ocean and the North and Baltic Seas, Hamburg and its famous Reeperbahu offers a glittering spectacle of neon lights, bars, night clubs, and "window girls," making it a favorite spot for sailors weary after months of sea duty.

Located at about the same latitude as Moscow, Hamburg's weather is often cold and rainy. Yet the moisture proves to be a blessing, for it helps nurture the greenery found throughout the city. One unofficial statistic counts one tree for every six residents, and the government has planted numerous trees on the sidewalks, river banks, and public parks. Citizens are urged to plant as well, in their yard, and on their balcony and windowsill, meaning wherever you look, you find green.

"A good plan carried out efficiently," says Suzette Braun of the Hamburg Tourist Office. She was referring to the greenery project, but the description could well be applied to the whole country. The West German Tourist Office invites reporters to visit every August, and the details are planned out months in advance, even down to where we will eat lunch and how long we will relax after going to the museum.

That Germans believe in discipline is a truism but still a fact. Motorists will wait at the end of long lines rather than butt in at the front, and with such a commitment to law and principle, it is small wonder that West and East Germany are the most advanced nations in their respective halves of Europe, even with the war's massive destruction.

"When the Germans say something, they mean it," says Shen Sheng-ming, the Republic of China's representative in West Germany. "Chinese may be more adaptable, but this trait often makes people a bit opportunistic, and quality and efficiency suffer in the process."

Despite its attractions, Hamburg still cannot rival Berlin for interest. With its precarious location in the middle of East Germany sending many of its youth to safer, roomier West Germany proper, the government has made considerable efforts at making West Berlin a desirable place to live. Military service is waived and employment found for young people living in the city, among other benefits. Nevertheless, residents never lose their acute sense of vulnerability in the face of nearby Russian and East German troops.

Such a situation has served to develop rather than dampen the Berliners' festive spirit. The Kurfurstendamm, a broad boulevard packed with stores selling everything, is the scene for all kinds of gamblers, dancers, singers, vendors, and those just out for a walk, dressed in more ways than one thought imaginable.

A different kind of sight most tourists make a point to see is the Berlin Wall. Forty-five kilometers long and replete with land mines, electric barbed wire, and carbine-carrying sentries, the wall is a grim reminder of the fundamental division separating Europe. Many people have scrawled on the wall the names of their relatives living in East Germany.

Those living in the East may not leave, but visitors from West Berlin may obtain a 24-hour visa to sightsee in a limited area, after going through customs and purchasing 25 marks of East German currency. The official exchange rate between the two marks is 1:1, but storekeepers and the black market operators will gladly give you three East German marks for one from the West.

Being part of the same city, the residents and architecture of East Berlin resemble those just left on the other side of the wall, but the similarity ends there. The carefree spirit is largely absent here, replaced by one of tension, created in part by the ubiquitous presence of soldiers. English, readily understood in West Germany, is rarely heard in this part of the city, where Russian becomes more useful for the tourist. German beer unaccountably is in short supply, and one makes do with beer from Bulgaria and the Soviet Union. Our guide is less than impressed. "No flavor," he says. "How can you call this Germany when you can't get German beer?"

Talk of beer invariably leads to Munich, the beer capital of Germany. With a southern climate more moderate than that of Hamburg and Berlin, the city's wooded suburbs are full of beer gardens, where residents head at dusk during the warmer months. Most beer gardens can accommodate a few thousand drinkers, who sit down to long tables and benches and feast on bread, salad, sausage, along with their never-empty stein of beer. Under the stars with beer and friends, talk often goes on well into the night in this relaxed and happy atmosphere.

Yet Munich has its dark side. In similar surroundings Hitler organized the Nazi party, making the city into his initial base of power. The fact was not lost on the Allies, whose bombers pounded Munich into rubble during the war. Memories of the conflict are still preserved in museums throughout the country, and the younger generation has taken their lesson to heart. "Our prosperity today," one youth says, "is the product of peace. We never want to see war again."

Munich is also the capital of Bavaria, the last of the old German kingdoms to become part of a unified Germany. Before the war the area was rich in castles, theatres, and museums. The bombing destroyed many of these old landmarks, but most have been rebuilt, which helps the city retain its old atmosphere. With a comfortable climate and a tradition of culture, 80 percent of West Germans call Munich the most livable city in the country.

Vienna, the city of music, is another center of culture for tourists, and the city government keeps it so with many concerts and the loving care given to historical sites. Tenants must pay rent several times in excess of the original price if they redecorate or repaint their apartments. "Only McDonald's could afford the price," sniffs one resident, pointing to the red sign and golden arches, out of place in this capital of central Europe.

Music events are held almost every day, except during July and August. Those visiting the city then may do the next best thing, which means going to the homes of famous musicians and composers. Most head for the house of Mozart, where his harpsichord and drafts are on exhibit. The walls and furniture resonate with his genius somehow, and visitors are often reluctant to leave.

Vienna has many such landmarks, for its large population of musicians is known to move often, in search of inspiration or understanding neighbors. Often the parties negotiate beforehand, setting up times for practice and for peace and quiet. Beethoven was said to have moved 60 times during his stay in Vienna.

The cities of Europe all have their share of war widows and Vienna is no exception. Living on government pensions, they enjoy a respected position in society and help keep the city a safe one, mostly by minding other people's business. Motorists blowing their horns are greeted with glares from these guardians of the public order, and should a youth sit in a bus seat reserved for senior citizens, before long he will be asked in a voice meant for all to hear, "Young man, are you sitting in the right seat?" Few things faze Viennese women, or for that matter, the people of Central Europe.

[Picture Caption]

Touring the avenues and alleys of Hamburg, one finds green everywhere. The red sign on the bus is the city's mark.

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, one of the thinnest boundaries between the free and communist worlds.

One of the night performers in West Berlin.

Colorful walls in West Berlin draw the attention of many a tourist.

An old timer at an outdoor cafe in Munich, the beer capital of Germany.

Elegant castles with beautiful, spacious gardens, a typical Bavarian sight.

Chinese music students in Vienna. Like their Western colleagues, they must move often to find places to practice.

Music can be found everywhere in the streets of Vienna. Even the dogs have an ear for music.

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, one of the thinnest boundaries between the free and communist worlds.

One of the night performers in West Berlin.

Colorful walls in West Berlin draw the attention of many a tourist.

An old timer at an outdoor cafe in Munich, the beer capital of Germany.

Elegant castles with beautiful, spacious gardens, a typical Bavarian sight.

Chinese music students in Vienna. Like their Western colleagues, they must move often to find places to practice.

Music can be found everywhere in the streets of Vienna. Even the dogs have an ear for music.