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**Andrew Price** · July 24th 09, 11:24 PM posted to rec.photo.equipment.medium-format

On Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:01:12 +0200, (Ralf R.
Radermacher) wrote:

[---]

Sounds like a story from another world and indeed it is as it goes a
long way towards explaining the mentality still prevalent in what used
to be socialist East Germany. Twenty years on, they're still as
fatalistic as they were then. No wonder they're gobbling up billions of
West German taxpayers' money without any progress to show for it.

Well, they're not *all* like that, but one wonders, some times.

Last weekend, I was in Wernigerode (in the state of Saxony-Anhalt,
formerly part of the GDR), and went into a general-purpose clothing
store with a friend. He was looking for a t-shirt, but after
wandering around most of the ground floor, it was obvious that there
was only women's clothing, and shoes for sale there.

But before venturing up the stair-case to the first floor (my friend
is 83) he asked a saleswoman in the shoe department

- "where is the men's department?"

- "men's shoes are here" came the prompt response.

- "I'm not interested in shoes", he said, "I'm looking for a t-shirt"

- "Oh, sorry, we can't help you" came the astounding response. "We're
only responsible for shoes"

- "Yes, but surely you know where the t-shirts are?" my friend
replied.

- "No, not our business" came the impertinent reply.

At first, I thought it was a joke. But it wasn't ...