Page 211 - Cultures and Organizations

6

What Is Different

Is Dangerous

n the 1960s Arndt Sorge did his military service in the West German
Iarmy. Near his hometown, where he spent his free weekends, there

were barracks of the British “Army on the Rhine.” Sorge was keen on

watching British motion pictures with the original sound track, which
were shown in the British barracks, and he walked up to the sentry to

ask whether he, as a German soldier, could attend. The sentry referred

him to the sergeant of the guard, who called the second in command on
the telephone and then tore a page out of a notebook, on which he wrote,

“Mr Arndt Sorge has permission to attend film shows,” and signed it,
adding that permission was granted by the second in command.
Sorge used his privilege not only on that occasion but also several
other times, and the notebook page always opened the gate for him, in con-
junction with his German army identity card. After he was demobilized,
he asked the British sentry whether he, now as a civilian, could continue

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