BAC KG ROU N D Germany Continued from preceding page RalAISSANCE REMATAIHKV SALE twice this century, I don't think you can say that everything has changed," says Gerald Howarth, a British Conservative parliamentarian who spent his formative years in Ger- many. "Manifestly, national characteristics don't change." 40%-50% 60% OFF ❑ Economic Ties Bind Germanys THE WORLD'S FINEST CLOTHING WE MUST 121111Y THE STORE • ZEGNA • CANALI • minim • mmaiNum • STAMEN • KiltIl3NBAD • GIN) CIII17111 • MDDIINA • LUELLA • BAGurti • 1'ANCALDI • MINI' REnaissAncE 336 MAYNARD, ANN ARDOR, (313) 769-8511 M,T,W,TH,SAT. 10-6, F 10-7 & DY APPOINTMENT SCUBA 4f, FUN 2 TENNIS SCIENCE Maplehurs WATERSKIING * RIDING SOCCER :957 affr35 &Fier Family owned and operated for 35 years, Maplehurst is an American Camping Association accredited summer camp where traditional values come first. Located on Torch Lake, north of Traverse City, Michigan, Maplehurst offers 2, 4, and 8 week sessions for boys and girls ages 7-17. For an application, brochure or videotape, contact: Dr. Laurence Cohn, Director Camp Maplehurst 1455 Quarton Road Birmingham, MI 48009 • 313-647-2646 Maplehurst, the spirit of play is fundamental. 74 COMPUTERS r RIFLERY GOLF - 4c, PHOTOGRAPHY DANCE -Vf VOLLEYBALL t ii ■ ••∎ A\ I r-f-rint A mt A .11'\66 No longer is the agenda of Germany being drawn up in the chancelleries of the Four Allied Powers. It is being decided on the streets. 'Whether the rest of the world likes it or not, the two Germanys are moving remorselessly toward reunification. And all roads now lead to a united Berlin. The pace is likely to be dramatically quickened by national elections in both Germanys this year — East Germans will vote in March, West Germans in December. But while full political in- tegration may take up to two years to accomplish, the two countries are already being inextricably bound by a complex web of economic, cultural, technical and scientific ties which will make reunification a reality long before the formal in- struments are signed. Most of West Germany's leading companies — in- cluding such giants as BMW, Volkswagen, Krupp, Siemens and Hoechst — had plants in East Germany before World War Two, and the incentive to rebuild is now proving irresistible. At the same time, the majority of East German in- dustries, albeit state-run, are welcoming and en- couraging cooperation with West Germany. Robotron, East Germany's largest electronics company, has already signed joint- venture agreements with two West German firms to produce compact discs in Dresden and software in Berlin. In addition, the national airlines of the two countries — Lufthansa in West Ger- many and Interflug in East Germany — have also agreed to work on 40 joint projects, including in-flight catering, the production of flight- training simulators and the establishment of a hotel chain. New rail and air links between the two halves of Germany are being discuss- ed, while Hamburg is preparing to become the main port of entry for East Germany's technological imports from the West. Agreements for West Germany to modernize and replace East Germany's rail network are in place, as is an agreement to update East Germany's telecomunica- tions network. Joint commissions have been established on the en- vironment and nuclear plant security. Under one agree- ment, West Germany will contribute $100 million to make East Germany's in- dustries more environmen- tally friendly. There are also extensive plans for education exchanges and coordination of university administra- tion, as well as for coopera- tion in scientific research programs. And West Ger- man newspapers will soon be on sale throughout East Germany for the first time since the war. Most important of all, however, economists on both sides are working feverishly to make the West German currency legal tender in East Germany or to devise a mechanism that will make the East German currency convertible at a realistic rate. More than any conference, agreement or treaty, such a move will open the floodgates for trade and speed the de facto reunifica- tion of Germany. —H.D. East Germany Secret Talks As extremist sentiment gathers support on the streets of East Germany, secret talks are underway between East German and Israeli officials designed to establish diplomatic rela- tions between the two coun- tries. According to officials in Jerusalem, the talks are taking place in "a European country" — apparently Denmark — and Israel is be- ing represented by Michael Shiloh, a close aide to For- eign Minister Moshe Arens. Deputy Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu revealed that the meetings were being held at the re- quest of East Germany, which had sought talks on the questions of diplomatic relations and historic responsibility for the crimes of the Nazi regime. Israel is insisting that a precondition for establishing relations is an admission by East Germany of its residual responsibility for the Holo- caust and an agreement to