Healing power of hockey

Hockey in Berlin helps east and west fans overcome differences. The article appeared last month in the New York Times international paper, the International Herald Tribune.
Hockey heals some lingering divisions in Berlin

"That's why so many former G.D.R. people say, 'It's not so bad, we feel right at home,"' (Peter) Schneider said, referring to the former East Germany by its initials.
The Eisbären are a small but potent symbol of the East's recovering sense of itself, and how that revival could begin to help ease tensions.

The city may not have quite reconciled its two sides, but the games are now a place where they could meet.
"It will still be a while, but in another 10 or 20 years, when enough children have been born who didn't live through it," (Martin) Braun said, gesturing toward his son, "then the divisions in our head will truly be over."