“First Save, Then Buy!”

This illustration on this postcard is a reproduction of a matchbook cover distributed by the East German Government in the 1950’s. West Germany was zooming ahead of East Germany economically and this little bit of propaganda shows that one way the East tried to counter it is by claiming the moral high ground.

Why did East Germany collapse? One reason is that the West Germans with free market, capitalist economy could build the Mercedes Benz. One of the best production cars ever built. Meanwhile the East Gemans were building the Trabant, arguably one of the worst cars ever built.

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