Lawrence, sister city still on good terms

Germany’s anger with the United States so far has not affected student exchanges at Kansas University nor Lawrence’s sister city relationship with Eutin, Germany, according to Frank Baron, German language and literature professor at KU.

Baron spent most of February traveling in Germany, including a visit to Eutin, and found Germans were upset about the possibility the United States might go to war with Iraq, he said.

“What I experienced was a very strong opposition to this war, a war Germans don’t understand,” Baron said. “I suppose it’s because Germany still has many memories about the Second World War.”

Many Germans don’t think President Bush is a good leader and they don’t think he did a good job of explaining the reasons for going to war, Baron said.

The length of the war could determine how difficult it will be to mend relations with Germany, Baron said.

“If it is over in the near future, I think there will be a chance to repair this damage,” he said.