一个城市因战争分离，因和平而团结

 

A City Divided by War, United in Peace

一个城市因战争分离，因和平而团结

 

Gorlitz, Germany is only a stone's throw from its Polish neighbor, Zgorzelec -- separated by a narrow river. Zgorzelec was part of Gorlitz before World War Two, but when the border changed after the war, the city was divided in half, one side became part of Poland, while the other remained in Germany.

 

For years, the people in the two cities had no contact with each other. But then six years ago, the newly-elected mayors of both the German and Polish towns began working together.

 

Zgorzelec’s mayor, Miroslav Fiedorowitz, says the results were remarkable¹.

 

Miroslav Fiedorowitz: We have a common bus line. We have pre-school programs where children learn German and Polish, and other schools where older students, including those in vocational² schools, can study both German and Polish.

 

One of the latest symbols of this cooperation is a new bridge joining the center of the two towns.

 

Gorlitz Mayor Rof Karbaum says even though some of the older German and Poles harbor bad feelings about each other, going back to World War Two, most young people don't carry that baggage.

 

Rof Karbaum: I believe that the conditions are such that these young people want to live as a family, because every year two to three dozen Polish-German couples get married."

 

However, many young people in Gorlitz say they rarely go to Zgorzelec.

 

Anna Heinze, a stylist at a hair salon³ in Gorlitz, says although she would welcome her Polish neighbors into the shop, all the customers are German.

 

Anna Heinze: I wouldn't mind, but I don't know what they want because I don't understand them. Communication is the problem.

 

Twenty-year-old Enrico Loyschler says another problem is some people in Gorlitz have negative ideas about their neighbors.

 

Enrico Loyschler: People on the street are a little afraid of living together because there are clichés of the Poles being thieves, stealing, and about crime in general.

 

Yet, Gorlitz and Zgorzelec rely on each other to survive because their economy is poor. Although there are several small factories around Gorlitz, German tourists help keep the charming, old city alive. Unemployment is high in both towns.

 

In Gorlitz, locals fear the Poles may take jobs because they'll work for less. Many young people have left, hoping to find work in former West Germany.

 

Ms. Klein: The problem for the German people is that they do not speak Polish. So if they become unemployed⁴ they have to go to the West and the chance for Polish people to come here, especially the ones who speak German, they get a job here, instead of someone from Gorlitz.

 

More than anything, commerce is pulling the two towns together. The Germans go to the Polish side for cheaper fuel, cigarettes and food, while the Poles come to Gorlitz for electronics⁵, and clothes they can't find in Zgorzelec.

 

Here, in this popular shopping area in Gorlitz, saleswoman Charlene Hauser says they can buy more fashionable clothes.

 

Charlene Hauser: It's better here, the price and quality. Especially the Polish women come here because of the better price and selection⁶.

 

But the mayors of Gorlitz and Zgorzelec are confident the cities will eventually pull themselves out of their economic rut. Gorlitz mayor Karbaum says, that despite being in different countries, he's optimistic the towns will again be united as they were in the past.

 

Karbaum: One city with a single administration, a single infrastructure⁷, one city of two nations. Polish citizens and German citizens. When will this happen, who knows?

 

Already they are managing urban development of the towns, as well as holding joint⁸ sessions of the local governments. But they say even if the towns become one, there would be a lot to work out, including who is in charge.

 

Deborah Block, VOA news, Gorlitz.

 

注释：

Zgorzelec 兹格热莱茨（波兰城镇）

vocational school 职业学校

harbor [5hB:bE] n. 海港

stylist [5stailist] n. 发型设计师

rut [rQt] n. 定例，惯例

infrastructure [5infrE5strQktFE] n. 下部构造，基础下部组织

1 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

2 vocational   

adj.职业的，业务的

参考例句：

• They have set a regular time for vocational study.他们把业务学习时间固定下来。
• She was given some quick training at the vocational school.她在职业学校受过速成训练。

3 salon   

n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室

参考例句：

• Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？
• You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

4 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

5 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。

6 selection   

n.选择，挑选，精选品，可选择的东西

参考例句：

• We left the selection of the team to the captain.我们把挑选队员的工作交给了队长。
• The shop has a fine selection of cheeses.那家商店有各种精美乳酪可供选购。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。