tl19891130-000 "46. cNovembeir..30,t1989 f Vol. 84 No. 12 ""Required Reading"" Published weekly by the students of Towson State University, 777-11/4�.,...51 MD 21204 The wall comes tumbling . 4\:\40 41104 Asststant NeWSECIiiOr /1114 by Lisa Goldberg II The dramatic events and radical changes that have jarred the East Ger-man political system in the past few months have also prompted many people worldwide to wonder about the future of the German state. A panel of professors gathered Tuesday at Towson State to ad-dress these changes�with specific em-phasis on the questions surrounding possible German reunification. History professors Armin Mruck, Harry Piotrowski, and Herbert Andrews; Oldenburg University exchange profes-sor Marianne Kriszio; and East German Diethelm Modersohn met in an informal forum to discuss both the unification question and their perceptions of Ger-many both before and after the recent resignation of the Communist Party lea-dership. Until 1871, Germany was divided into several states, and it was only united in 1871 on the strength of the belief that nations belong together. Germany re-mained a unified state until after World War II. According to Andrews, a specialist in modern German history who visited Germany last summer, the events which followed the initial 1871 unification must be considered, if one is to consider the question of reunification. ""Since Ger-many was put together in 1871, we've had two world wars, both with roots re-volving around Germany. A united Ger-many, today, cannot be less powerful than the Weimar Republic which fought the wars."" ""Germany would have incredible poli-tical and economic resources. Looking at the past, I think that a united Germany ... will pose a significant threat to the rest of Europe and the world,"" he added. Kriszio, a native of West Germany, explained that the new generation of Germany born after World War II has changed; the people hold different views. She said it is not true that the German people are inherently more dangerous than any other people around the world. ""Our youth is not educated with na-tionalism and militarism,"" she said. AdiNhL 1.4.1011111111111111111111111.1 /INSIDE Adult enrollment on /' the rise. Page 2 When asked to present the German perspective on the reunification of her country, Kriszio said, ""I can't present the German point of view because I don't know if one exists. In a nation, there are several points of view."" ""I came here in July, so I am viewing the situation from the American point of view since I am here, now,"" she added. Kriszio was born after the Second World War, and therefore, she has never known anything other than two Ger-manys. She explained that as she was growing up, the generation before her held a strong feeling that Germany should be unified. Painting a picture of her childhood, Kriszio talked of wide-spread fear of the Communists and a Men's basketball wins home opener. Page 6 A moderate look at , gliP'Al East Germany. p . you 7"". Page 25 myth, evolving from this fear, that the Communists were bad people taking children away from their parents. To her, East Germany was viewed as ""poor Germany"" without the luxuries and free-doms enjoyed by the West German people. see GERMANY, page 4 "
