INFLUENTIAL GERMANS BEING TAUGHT TO THINK FOR THE MSELVES AGAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 81, 4 January 1950, Page 5

INFLUENTIAL GERMANS BEING TAUGHT TO THINK FOR THE MSELVES AGAIN

(By A. G. Parry, 1949 Kemsley Empire Journalist) London, November 29. ,

At Wilton Park, Buckinghamshire, for the past four years, a series of courses under the aegis of the British Foreign Office has been held for Germans from varied walks of life. The object is not reeducation in the disparaging sense of the word. It is the provision of a course in citizenship, in politics and in common European problems, with the emphasis firmly on reality and impartiality.

A few months ago, as I stepped from an aircraft at Northolt, relieved beyond measure to be away from Germany with its incessant complaints, its pre-election propaganda and whining ingratitudes, I should have hotly denied that any course in citizenship could make an impact on the German cosmos. Leopards cannot change their spots. The best Germans were those killed in the war. That was how bitter I felt about Germany. Yesterday I went to Wilton Park. Yesterday I began to doubt. Learning To Doubt

To doubt. That is what the Germans are learning to do. For it must be clearly understood that the common view in Germany on any major issue, such as dismantling or the treatment of refugees, follows one hard and fast rule. The man who does not subscribe to the Deutsche viewpoint must, inevitably, be either a knave or a fool.

Born to regimentation, suckled on intolerance, spoon-fed on propaganda and reared on a mixture of arrogance and chauvinism it is not easy for a German to be objective in his thought-processes. His newspapers bolster up this attitude and too many editorials appeal to sentiment rather than to reason. But at Wilton Park many?hundreds of Germans have already learned to doubt. Some of the most case-hardened nationalists have confessed that they arrived in a spirit of suspicion and irritation, but that the tolerant attitude of the tutors and the complete absence of propaganda won them over. The results of the course are intangible, but there is firm support for the belief that 99 per cent leave Wilton Park realising that there are two sides to every argument. This is no mean achievement.

No Propaganda If then, no propaganda is used at Wilton Park, what is done? In the first place there are no formal lectures as such, A tutor or guest speaker will introduce a topic, then general discussion takes place. It can truly be said that the tolerant attitude, of the tutors to the aggressive arguing and questioning of the students has done more than anything else to impress upon these Germans the true meaning of that much-abused word “democracy.” Dr Gertrude Harms, who attended a recent course, said in a broadcast from Radio Bremen: “ . . . the debates between Right and Left became steadily more objective and more tolerant. This applied to all but a few extremists. In general we tried to conform to the English method of discussion which served every day as an example to us.” Earlier she had referred to “the praiseworthy tolerance of the teachers and their astounding faculty for self-criticism.”

Students Carefully Chosen The people Vho go to Wilton Park—and there is a long waiting list—are carefully chosen. The aim is to find people who are influential in public life—university teachers, trade union officials, journalists, welfare officers, party executives.

Political colour is not inquired into. But a most significant tribute to the efficacy of the courses has been paid by the German Communist Partjy. It will no longer allow its members to attend. Too many of them, apparently, were learning to think for themselves.

The organiser and warden of Wilton Park, Dr H. Koeppler, is one of those rare combinations, an idealistic visionary but a practical man to boot. After studying at Oxford in the late twenties he returned to his native Germany but left again because “it was not big enough for both Hitler and me.” He was an Oxford don but joined the German Section of the Foreign Office when war broke out. He conceived. the scheme which started at the end of the war with volunteer German prisoners attending courses. German Co-operation Essential

His view—and it is the view of all who think—is that German cooperation is essential for the wellbeing ,of Western Union. Legitimate fears ( of new German aggression can only be overcome by making Germany an integral part of the greatey unit. The cultivating of Western Union mindedness in Germany 'is particularly difficult for sociological and historical reasons.

Wilton Park is helping break down this barrier.

Dr Keoppler, however, does not—emphatically does not—advocate re-arming the Germans. “To arm Germany because of fear of Russia would be like committing suicide because you were afraid of death” he told me.

•' Like so many of the Germans I went to Wilton Pary cynical and came away chastened. If the seeds sown there propagate in Germany new hope may arise.