Blossoms in the Ruins

"I am reminded," said a radio commentator in Russian-controlled Berlin "of the lines of the famous poem Die Glocke by Schiller: "Und neues Leben blueht aus den Ruinen" ("And from the ruins new life blossoms").

The commentator was describing Berlin's new municipal council, meeting for the first time in a partly restored hall.

The council included a prewar conservative for Lord Mayor, a Catholic Centrist for Food Minister, a Social Democrat as communications director, two Communist members of the pre-Hitler Reichstag, several other leftists.

Berliners had symphony concerts, variety shows. The Berlin radio announced a football game between a German team and a Red Army team. At least in the first stage of occupation, the Russians were out to make friends and influence Germans.

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