Humberd Poll, 1991

During our trips we usually conduct a “Humberd Poll.” The 1991 “German question,” asked over a hundred times in all parts of Germany with hand signals and finger pointing was, “Eins Deutchland besser Zwei Deutschland?” Is one Germany better than two Germanys? A few answers varied, but after a dozen or so queries, we could see a pattern developing.

Usually the answer was “yes,” and most often, an enthusiastic yes. The “nos” were a little surprising at first, but really did make sense after we asked a few more questions. Some young people in the West were not at all happy with the tax increases needed to supply money to rebuild the East, but most young people in the East were excited about their chances for an improved life now, and a much better life in a few years.

The pension of older people in the East, based on the East German Mark, does not buy enough to live well, and they have no way to earn money needed to take advantage of the improved situation. Most older people in the West were excited to see their country return to “normal.” In the 1930s and early ‘40s a few men, at the head of state, turned Germany into the most hated nation in the world. Its almost frightening to see how few men it takes. A handful of men (and millions of honorable citizens) converted Germany into a decent society during the decades since.

For over 40 years the East Germans had been brainwashed by their liberal-left government, but isn’t it wonderful to observe how fleeting and how superficial that brainwashing was. The ideas of freedom are so ingrained in human nature, no debriefing, no reverse brainwashing, no retraining was needed. They knew instinctively how freedom works.

We also asked dozens of people throughout Germany, about “Freedom from the neighbors.” A distinguished gentleman, a Ford dealer we had met in Trier, had two sons who were completing their college education in the United States. He said they wanted to live in the United States after they graduated from college. When we asked why, he stopped, thought a moment, then answered, “Freedom from the neighbors.” We asked what he meant by ‘freedom from the neighbors.’ He thought a little more, then said, “People in Germany are so concerned with what their neighbors are doing — when they wash their car, when they hang wash on the line, stores close early in the evening, and are closed on Sunday, etc." He said that in general there’s a feeling of less individual liberty than many people feel they should expect.

There was near unanimous agreement among the people we asked this question, and as one lady said, “It wouldn’t be so bad if they were just nosy, but they are so judgmental.” Isn't it funny, we never met one German who admitted to be one of the "judgemental neighbors!"