Bananas

Bananas were rare in East Germany. Grocery stores had them only once or twice a month. There was no advertising. It all worked by word-of-mouth or through observation. It was quite easy to know when a store had bananas or other exotic fruits such as oranges or melons. Either a neighbor or colleague would tell you or you saw a long queue in front of a grocery store. Some shopkeepers kept some stock under the counter for their friends, neighbors, family and children in the neighborhood. Eating bananas was a big celebration. They were cut into little cubes or slices and served on bread with butter. Many people still remember the fresh and sweet taste of their first banana.