My grim tour of East Berlin’s gray streets and empty stores in 1988 taught me all I needed to know about everyday life under Soviet-style socialism. Zohran Mamdani needs 20th century history lessons.
What an excellent read! Hats off. Your experience in East Berlin serves as a strong reminder of the failures of socialism, which some Americans used to having it sweetened by our markets and masked by liberalism still need. Zohran Mamdani's proposal for government-run grocery stores ignores the grim reality of state-controlled economies, where empty shelves and poor quality were the norm. I look forward to reading more from you. This is my sub: https://posocap.com
In 1988, East Berlin’s pervasive diesel smell came primarily from the Trabant cars, but they weren’t the only source. Trabants, the iconic East German vehicles, ran on two-stroke engines that mixed oil with gasoline, producing a distinctive, acrid exhaust. These cars were everywhere—about 3 million were produced by the late 1980s, and their inefficient engines spewed unburned fuel and oil into the air. A 1980s study estimated Trabants emitted up to 10 times more pollutants than modern cars of the era.But the smell wasn’t just Trabants. East Berlin’s air was also choked by emissions from coal-powered heating systems, industrial plants, and heavy trucks running on low-quality diesel. The city’s aging infrastructure and lax environmental regulations under the GDR meant coal and diesel fumes from factories, power stations, and buses like the Ikarus models added to the mix. Coal-burning stoves in homes were common, especially in winter, and lignite (brown coal) was a cheap but dirty fuel source, contributing to the city’s smoggy, diesel-tinged haze.Posts found on X mention the Trabant’s unique stench, often described as a mix of burnt oil and gasoline, which locals and visitors alike noticed in East Berlin. However, the broader diesel smell likely came from this combo of Trabants, trucks, and coal emissions, all trapped in the city’s often stagnant air, especially before the Wall fell in 1989.
What an excellent read! Hats off. Your experience in East Berlin serves as a strong reminder of the failures of socialism, which some Americans used to having it sweetened by our markets and masked by liberalism still need. Zohran Mamdani's proposal for government-run grocery stores ignores the grim reality of state-controlled economies, where empty shelves and poor quality were the norm. I look forward to reading more from you. This is my sub: https://posocap.com
The picure caption is incorrect. Trabant did not have a diesel engine. It had a 2-stroke gas engine (even worse, when it comes to pollution).
Not quite incorrect, but thanks: From Grok:
In 1988, East Berlin’s pervasive diesel smell came primarily from the Trabant cars, but they weren’t the only source. Trabants, the iconic East German vehicles, ran on two-stroke engines that mixed oil with gasoline, producing a distinctive, acrid exhaust. These cars were everywhere—about 3 million were produced by the late 1980s, and their inefficient engines spewed unburned fuel and oil into the air. A 1980s study estimated Trabants emitted up to 10 times more pollutants than modern cars of the era.But the smell wasn’t just Trabants. East Berlin’s air was also choked by emissions from coal-powered heating systems, industrial plants, and heavy trucks running on low-quality diesel. The city’s aging infrastructure and lax environmental regulations under the GDR meant coal and diesel fumes from factories, power stations, and buses like the Ikarus models added to the mix. Coal-burning stoves in homes were common, especially in winter, and lignite (brown coal) was a cheap but dirty fuel source, contributing to the city’s smoggy, diesel-tinged haze.Posts found on X mention the Trabant’s unique stench, often described as a mix of burnt oil and gasoline, which locals and visitors alike noticed in East Berlin. However, the broader diesel smell likely came from this combo of Trabants, trucks, and coal emissions, all trapped in the city’s often stagnant air, especially before the Wall fell in 1989.
Mamdani of the many speech accents has another agenda. And it isn't to help NYC residents.