Germans were not allowed to travel, write letters, telephone, telegraph or publish newspapers, without American permission. Nor were they permitted to drink anything stronger than beer or wine, or to gather in a café unless given written consent. Regulations such as the rule compelling householders to keep their windows open at night were a reminder of just how deeply the occupation affected the most intimate details of civilian life.6 And in case anyone in Koblenz still needed reminding who was in charge, a colossal Stars and Stripes could be seen for miles around, floating above the
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