Voices of Europe; Saarland

Voices of Europe Milton mair American author and broadcaster lecturer and professor in the Institute of Social Research from Frankfurt University has been traveling throughout many of the countries of Western Europe recording interviews with Europeans who are alive and sensitive to the conditions which surround them. In this in the following two programmes of the series the problems of the SAR are discussed. Here is Milton Mayer The Sun Valley sometimes called sorry and is about 20 miles wide from east to west and 35 miles long from north to south. It is the nearest sovereign nation of Europe. It lies between the Rhine and was rivers between France and Germany. Its population of one million speaks German and has always spoken German. And until 1918 the Saros an

integral part of Germany. From then on until 1935. It was separated from Germany and governed by a League of Nations commission. In 1935. 91 percent of the people of the Saar voted in a league of nations plebiscite to return to Germany. That was Hitler's first great victory outside the then boundaries of Germany. And it has been called the first shot of the Second World War. In 1945 the half destroyed star with its priceless coal deposits was again taken from Germany occupied by the French and is now established since 1938. As

an independent nation recognised however only by the French government. With its economy forcibly integrated into the economy of France. Today I am interviewing in an anonymous town of the Saar an anonymous SAR lander. Hairbrush. As I shall call him is a lifelong sorrow wonder. And a well known expert on its history and its present situation. I am concealing his identity at his insistence. Herr Bush how does it feel to be a star lander. I would ask you is a joke here. Howard doesn't fear a doobie a bird on a ridge two docs are fighting for.

I think I understand. Germany and France are fighting again as they have for a long time. For the SAR. But I want to know is it however what is life like here for the ordinary citizen in this situation. Already that's sedition in stop. Sees set as a French governess and as of our government of Ceasar It's Poppy got government a puppet government puppet government. What's the evidence of that as a constant you can eventually have here in Ceasar want is

a product of. French but AC. Silly. There would have it. Is this bizarre long. Between it's own country and Germany. AS. A country which give as a French government security. And. Again no peace for the opposition. Against a policy here in this country no opposition is a lot. BI Is this government behind the bridge stands. So the French government has independence off the silent sets and name stands on some paper but it does not carry your independence.

Rob France runs is economic a union. This silent and. This joke isn't a Cylon it's a movement. Our government in Ceasar has constructed and you call it. So this car feeds into soccer. And it's mirrored at Patmos and not let me show you or my passport in the US. This is your passport. It says at the top of it Republic of France. But then underneath were the word nation ality is printed it says Sirois house up that is the French word for sorry for sorry there was sort of the past right your passport as a citizen of the

Independent Sovereign nation of the SAR us is issued by the Republic of France. Yes. But a hairbrush. You had an election here in the stock. Yes in 1948 1948 and the people of the Saar. Voted for this independence and for economic union with France. Wasn't that a free election. It wasa free election bad. So most of the people who were elected didn't know what to say had to elect say only have to elect what we called a London talk sets by one man of peace part of Germany and to elect some people who would do serious work here.

Some days before the serious election. Be here to see this new London talk. Should have saw rides to and discuss a question if he would be independent in a state that's are most often people who elected didn't know anything about it. And 30 percent of men in the US are. Were not allowed to elect. So they were members of the party. So we are prisoners of our. Savior in the dance of Germany and so she could not elect. And most of people who elected are women. Betty had two L.A. age and it was off. Together this is election some pressure we had not

to eat and this is a boss. If you elect and her I pay your bill have to eat the same you will be in it you want it for this for arms and then on things were go very well here in the US and zone serenade shroom name us fried bat. Sippy barrier insist Hartke us didn't know the word consequences of this election. Herr Bush if I were to go out on the street yesterday as an American and asked the first 100 people. In this town heres whom I met on the Super 8 whether they favor an independent sorrow or whether they wish to return to Germany what kind of answer is what I get as if I speak as an American which I am yes.

Here is a word you say. What set and independent and independence are set means ASARCO vase is connected based fronds and B are adjournments year in Ceasar. And several are from 100 people your last consistory 99 built on say you will ve had to return to Germany. We are Germans and if you can be the French the seditions and so far the Syrians say you will. We have to return in any case. But to Germany what we call Assad and our sets are fiction. We are Germans by language by our culture.

Most of these people are coming for a long run and survive us. And have a say or a lot of. So I want to relegate our energy ifs in Germany's And so far we are. It's it's nothing other to say. And so. We are. To the purser. To showed us that people here are Catholics and ones that are Protestants. And Protestants spit on to was a church in zer I longed. Then to Castlereagh see or belong to was a diocese at three year and spire. And be forced to put it let me see it certified as a push of GPS and spy up

said to. People here. Look here our language is a German language and your mother country is Germany and Zephyr long. Whatever happens in support to see you are journalists and you have to stay with Germany or it's all in hard times and Zaphod. If you ask people on the street once a wish. City tell you. We have to be mince and haven't to do all of that. What Germany has to do have or to or. To suffer this Germany.

PEEPER in's us are worse or race of people. Speak be speaking freely. Also insert I hear it was a bitter difficult business population here say like freedom was a light. So to speak. Ever been about. What's a sink. Battens or last year's. It becomes more and more difficult for people and to speak openly about what's amazing. You mean in the last in recent years into recent years officer ball. Well of course when after 1935 the star returned to Germany under Hitler. Yes so a little difficult to believe that people were able to speak their own minds freely if they actually opposed nation all socialism is

bad. We had the sense of course as special situation for us after 35. Said National Socialists said oh look says poor children from Ceasar. So you don't any See don't know anything about as a national nation late as a solution and CFR everybody and we must be careful and saw that we had more rights here ins assassins out of drug companies that Russian trade opportunity Fost into schools in religious affairs and so on. And if we could sell something we're not allowed as a trial to say. So exhausting us is a little shy which comes back to his her father hollers and one gives them some trouble hate and so on. Yeah no would you say that the situation in these last years in the Star today.

Is Worse Than It was as far as the suppression of Liberty Yast is concerned. Yes. Our government which we have now is kind of a government behind which stands for arms. And France has just policy here in Ceasar is secret posts or so and it was. It is a task of serious people to look. To make us good to bring us into in this is a situation as we are not free to tell our opinion to an awesome man and say our world so precious against people who would say free will say mean.

The whole situation here Bush sounds to me suspiciously like a polite kind of dictatorship. How does it affect the actual lives of the actual people. Yes and so we feel we feel and I will for example look are the newspapers we are for and you respect us here in Ceasar. But one of tissue we will spare bought houses the name of an old Democratic newspaper painters are. Bad behind this is newspaper stands as it stands. France. Is a man who manages or is this a newspaper as a man from books and Burke and the man were to gas up a vase a French ambassador d here in the Star

and nobody is allowed to ask some political questions. Insist and use paypal. We have always said the same. The Sayings of each cam are coming from Paris. And not the time. This is a man from looks and boy it was not allowed to the right to go about his own opinion in as this newspaper. Insert it is bizarre I thought this 3 newspaper was the last one is a it was a communist newspaper it is a large bet. The reason the communist newspaper one can read only one day in a month's Zaza days is forbidden and as us our newspapers are the government and that is a lot of people.

The rich will not treat this news papers and wait for a newspaper from Germany and say we feel it's a censorship and suppression of our government and another thing is this that is occurring minds in bazaar where there are most of our people and our current minus as they are. Not the communists do you like said country and Narcisse clear minds are could lend to France for 50 years or high positions. It's a direct us and the engineers are those occurring mines out Frenchmen. And it is difficult for the far as the people here to back together a reception room.

Here Bush you say the call reigns are lent to France for fifty years years who lent them to free our government lands them in the last year for 50 years to fronds I see. And so it. Is we are not to own us here and. There's a frown to France government this our government can do business Corps minds what will aunt what Save best and sets her heart seeing for our core minus here. On top of a rabbit a French ambassador be here in Ceasar there's a lot of people who will go out over the whole country in Colorado and all of the branches of our life and. Seven seven percent of

income off this state. We have to pay for this is French and the city. And so therefore we have a big pay taxes and you can understand that people who are cons break construct their tongs and savageness. So that's they are not very enjoyed. To pay for the French and the city here. There's actually a lot of man here for us a custom us and for our. Range soldiers who are having their stations here in the south. And said that is a difficult thing for us here. You mean here Bush that the people of the supposedly free sovereign independent nation of the Saar.

Are compelled to support. The supposed embassy of a foreign country. Yes and it is not very nice for us here. To having our prom tourists in our school Woods insinuate a vast scheme which they made after this war here. Sorry and wish you knew us Inky but in reality it is a French university. So act as a French professor. So it is not easy for us to see our insist seeing's insists Moyes can tree where one knows the arsenal very well and to live with his people would have another having only one task

to make us and you will state a state which is apart from France. You know I hear Bush from everything you have said. And I have. Excellent reason on the basis of your reputation to believe that what you have said is true. From everything you have said I would suppose that the people of the star would have the strongest kind of. He fared against the French and the desire for revenge. No most of the people here in Ceasar

and look here we are a lot of people here we tried to be real Christians. We have no hate against France. We had always had a very good name o't vicious Shia population in Lorien and we can't understand France and we have nothing against this people and what is land and we don't. Vish. Is that our situation here in this is that our. It makes grow up hate and there are bonds from Germany or four from France that thievish is too fond of a set we can live as Germans.

And said we can and if was our neighbor was from us. And therefore you're going to not find many people here who are willing to make capital out of the situation. Population of population here is not speaking very much about his problems. We shall not make a war about the Ceasar. What's a real war is and British studies this out as German and French government find a way was another way I did was inns of past time. We here in Ceasar see

set beam must set it must have an end and we must finish the struggle between Germany and France. And Sara for I seen in order insists problems we must have our own nervous and hate and throw bombs and a narrow minded nationalism. We don't like that seen grow up in society. What the vision and what he must do and will do here in the XYZ. This said Every man is a star who sees how difficult it is in a complicated situation of sheer urge Europe

to come out of. Oh it says old phrases and to begin you know our own life. See what Christ is saying us said If you have to forgive and such to be must see the rock. Our own scenes inns of past times and said that everyone here in Ceasar must forgive. So our neighbors in France. And that we all are to guess our must find season a new day of forgiveness. And I sing. If it is if our belief in Christ

is a real belief he must find it. And so his realisation in support of geeks we make here. Hate and Trayvon are not surveyed to find out. Well says difficult situation and sees new way. We have to suffer at Zimmerman. And I seem it is better to suffer. For a new way to live in a right billions in a good grade and to have a real neighborhood and to find

or French men are a creation of got said is that is the first step which will help us to find balance or in supporting Teague's and you very thank you very much. Here of course. Milton mair has been interviewing an unidentified sorry Lander whom we call her bush. Next week he interviews Herr Ernst time Rick Schafer and Mr. Jack size out in SAR broken. The program you have just heard has been made possible under a grant from the fund for adult education an independent organization established by the Ford Foundation. These programs are prepared and distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This program was introduced by Norman McKeon This is the end APB tape network.