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The Cold War -- Berlin Air Lift -- the air lift Luftbrücke
The Berlin Air Lift: Vacations in West Germany
Figure 1.--Here we see West Berlin childrenncoming to Hanburg in West Germany for a casatioin experience. We have a caption, although itbis difficukt to read. The rext is something like, "Luftbrückenkinder in Hamburg aus Berlin Eingstroffen:
Die ersten 50 Luftbrückenkinder der durch den NWDR aufgerufenen Feriensktien für Berliner Kinder, trafen heute auf fen Hambueger Flighafen mit 2 amerokanischen DC 3 Milritaruachinan ein Die festlich ent pfangenen Linder werden von verachirdrnen Familien aufgenommen. UNZ: das erste Luftbrückenkind verlast die Maschine in Fuhlsbüttel. Keystone - Bild vom 17 August 1953." That translates roughly as, "Airbridge Children Arrived in Hammburg from Berlin: The first 50 airbridge children of the vacation shares for Berlin children called up by the NWDR arrived today at fen Hambueger airport with 2 American DC 3 milritaruachinans. UNZ: the first child of the air bridge loads the machine in Fuhlsbüttel. KEYSRONE - IMAGE dated August 17, 1953." Click on the image to see the caption.
West Germany during the Cold War supoorted the West Berlin economy bith before and after the Berlin Wall was built. Stalin only a few years after the War, attempted to choke off West Berlin's economy through a crippling economy. During the Soviet Blockade, West Berlin children were temprarily flown out of the city because of the food situation. These were humanitarian evacuations. We believe that after the Soviets lifted the blockade (1949) that programs were developed for Berlin children to have vacatioin exoeriences in West Germany. These were continued, however, long after they were needed for humanitarian reasons. With the German Economic Miracle. livong stanfards in Berlin rose to levels compatavle to West, far above libing standards in East Geramny and East Berlin. And this did not change when the East Germns built the Wall (1961). Programs for West Berlin chilfren were more to provide recreatiinal opportunities betond the rstructive kimits of the vity. We have, however, been unable to find much inforrmation on this.
