WASHINGTON -- My summertime in Germany with family and friends gave me the warmth and many pleasures of the visitor. On the level of the economy, unfortunately, my visit provided me with the pains of the outside spectator who sees things unfold with the distinct impression that the prognosis is not good.
After having long been a symbol of economic progress, Germany has now had more than a decade of poor economic performance, and unemployment hovers above 10 percent. But the long decline has not yet led to enough learning to offer hopes for a better future. Here are some examples.
In Nuremberg, we went shopping in the area around the former imperial castle only to find much of it deserted by businesses -- a sad sight for what used to be a central town square. We did find one store that carried some nice antiques, but the salesperson told us to come back later, after his lunch break. When asked why he didn't want to make a sale, he explained that as a salaried employee he would not be affected by our purchase.