Volume > Issue > Only Yesterday: Remembering East Germany

Only Yesterday: Remembering East Germany

GUEST COLUMN

By Nancy O. McAdams | March 1990
Nancy O. McAdams is a substitute teacher in the public schools of Princeton, New Jersey.

 

“You want to search my box of Pampers?” I exclaimed.

I couldn’t believe I’d heard the border guard at Checkpoint Charlie correctly. And why was she eying me so suspiciously?

Yet, of course, in April 1988 it was East German security policy to examine all incom­ing vehicles in the search for drugs, books, tapes — anything that might corrupt or con­taminate the East German citizenry.

The guard removed the Pampers box from my car and examined it with a mechanical de­vice. She then selected one of several bags in my trunk to inspect, plus the glove compart­ment in the car, before she felt satisfied I was not transporting any illegal material into East Berlin.

Enjoyed reading this?

READ MORE! REGISTER TODAY

SUBSCRIBE

You May Also Enjoy

Letter to the Editor: February 2002

Has the "Holy Cross" In Holy Cross College Been Crossed Out?... Expose the Works of Darkness... Stolinsky's Thesis Confirmed...

Last Things: December 2021

For my stand-alone Evangelical colleague, the true faith was what he said it was, no more, no less — whatever the rest of the Christian world said.

Automatic Forgiveness

Fr. Ron Rolheiser says Jesus provides automatic forgiveness. Commit suicide if you want. Fr. Ron is giving you permission.