Making History

Since war's end, no schoolchild in Berlin has studied history. The Allies had made the subject verboten in all Berlin schools. Last week, the holiday from history ended.

A commission of professors--headed by a Frenchman, an Englishman, an American, and a Russian--had finally agreed on a new Outline of History suitable for young German minds. They had carefully ironed out Nazi distortions--and had added some new twists of their own. Soviet Major Vassily Bagrov wanted to say a good deal about "The Shady Aspects of Celibacy" when discussing the Renaissance church. The other powers said no; but they agreed to let him have a chapter on "The Class Struggle on the Eve of the Reformation."

The Russian major also hoped to climax a section on 17 of the world's greatest political thinkers with a contrast between "Socialist Structure and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat" and "The Unbalanced Structure of Capitalism." Protested the Englishman: "Then I think it's hardly worth putting Jefferson in at all ... in this one-sided view of history." The Russian's feelings were hurt; 83% of the men to be studied, he said, "represent theories thoroughly unacceptable to the Soviet Union." But he finally backed down and settled for a big section on "Countries with a New Democracy."

The major seemed willing to learn. ("You mean a Republic is not [necessarily] a Democracy? That is a new historical revelation to me.") But he was most anxious for a chapter on "The Inevitability of Wars in the Capitalist System." All the other powers protested hotly. Said the U.S. delegate (jovial, white-haired Harry R. Wyman of the Phoenix Junior College in Arizona): "It isn't our purpose here to turn prophet . . ." Replied Major Bagrov: "I didn't mean that at all ... and General Stalin has announced that with a definite will on both sides, both the Socialist and the Capitalist systems can and must exist together . . . I will now attempt to change the wording." His final title, to which the others assented: "The Dangers of Crises in the Capitalist Economy."

The West claimed a sizable victory when the major apparently heaved Marxian determinism overboard. "Every historical event," the powers agreed, "is a result of the interaction and interdependence of ... economic factors, political factors, cultural and social factors." Just how complete the victory would be, Berlin school children would learn next fall when their history books arrive. Each power will write texts for its own sector, then get the approval of the other powers.

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