July 2001 Vol.4, No. 6 Contents Reflections From the Rotunda by Paul Kieffer Restoration by Darris McNeely Monarchs in the News by Melvin Rhodes Excerpts From Good News Radio: The Future of Jerusalem by Gary Petty SMBC and Disposable Fathers by Cecil E. Maranville In Brief... World News Review by William Eddington, Cecil E. Maranville and L. Jim Tuck This Is the Way... Standing on a Chair by Robin Webber Reflections From the Rotunda Conversations with German citizens show the diversity of feelings attached to the newly reconstructed German capital-a diversity that reflects different age groups, as well as an East vs. West mentality within the unified German state. by Paul Kieffer No matter how you see it, the Reichstag building in the center of Berlin's new government district is no longer a shadow of its former self. Built from 1884-94 during the time of Germany's Kaisers Wilhelm I and II, the Reichstag was heavily damaged during the fighting to capture Berlin in the final weeks of World War II. Soviet soldiers, precariously perched on its pockmarked roof, hoisted the red flag in early May 1945 to celebrate their victory over Nazi Germany. For some 15 years, the building remained a scarred shell. In the early 1960s, a drive was launched to raise money to restore the Reichstag. Along with other donors, thousands of schoolchildren willingly contributed pennies to help fund the effort. The restoration began in earnest at a time when the Reichstag's location made it a symbol of sorts in the free city of Berlin during the Cold War period. On August 13, 1961, East German "people's police" began cordoning off all streets, canals, real estate and anything else that bordered on West Berlin. Within days, the hastily rolled out barbed wire barrier was being replaced by prefab concrete slabs. Located just a few feet to the west of this demarcation line between the three allied zones that became West Berlin and the Soviet zone that became the capital city of Communist East Germany, the Reichstag and its restoration presented a stark contrast to the other side of the wall. There a veritable no-man's-land was created, with buildings near the border either torn down or made completely windowless on their western facades. Read the full article at www.wnponline.org/wnp/wnp0107/index.htm Related Information on UCG Sites: Table of Contents that includes "Reflections From Rotunda" Other Articles by Paul Kieffer Germany: _Fascism Returns to Europe _Oskar Lafontaine _World News Review February 1999 _So, Who Goes First? _World News Review August 1999 _Never on Sunday? _Ten Years After the Wall Came Tumbling Down _Building Walls or Building Bridges? _World News Review January 2000 _Deutschland AG Versus Corporate America _Five Trends to Watch in Europe _World News Review January 2001 _Germany and Russia-Shifting Balance of Power _French Intellectuals see Germany as Potential Threat _The Coming Clash Between Europe and America _From Kosovo to Conflict? _Who Will Lead the New Europe? _Germany's Record Unemployment and Political Change _The World's Number One Exporting Nation _What Is Germany's Destiny? _Is the EU an Attempt to Revive the Holy Roman Empire? _Terror Alarm in Germany _A Pan-German Plan _Germany's Rising Economic and Political Power _From Berlin to Brussels _Should the West Encourage German Military Expansion? _Financial Crisis Crushing Britain _An Overview of Conditions Around the World - May/Jun 1997 _The Marshall Plan Revisited _After Kosovo: Power Shift Taking Place? _What Is Berlin's Destiny? _An Overview of Conditions Around the World - Nov/Dec 2002 _World News and Trends - Jul/Aug 2003 _World News and Trends - Nov/Dec 2003 _World News and Trends - Mar/Apr 2004 _World News and Trends - Mar/Apr 2005 _World News and Trends - Nov/Dec 2005 _World News and Trends - November/December 2006 _World News and Trends - January/February 2007 _World News & Trends Jan 2009 _Europe and the Church, Part 11: Germany's Dream of Conquest _History's Twists and Turns _Why Is Europe So Important? _Could a Greek Tragedy Bring Down the Euro? Search Our Site Key Subjects Index General Topics Index Biblical References Index Good News Magazine Index Booklets and All Literature Index Home Page of this site