The Road Back

Throughout the U.S. occupation zone, German Buerger put on their Sunday best, went to church, and afterwards to the polls. It was their first free election in 13 years.

Contending for rural council seats in small communities (up to 20,000 inhabitants) were four major parties, a dozen minor ones, and a bevy of independent candidates. In Catholic Bavaria the slightly right-of-center Christian Democratic Union won a landslide victory. Typical campaign promise: "Do you want your barnyards, fields and cattle to remain your property? . . . Then vote C.D.U.!" Socialists were a bad second. Liberals and Communists also ran. Independents did well.

About 85% of the zone's eligible citizens queued up at the polls. But the heavy turnout was not all due to sudden democratic zest. Said Buerger Nikolaus Menge of Bad Sooden: "I'm voting today because it will please you Americans. . . ." Said Buerger Hans Berger: "The polling booths are the warmest places in town."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.