Made in Germany memories

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When I was young, there was no Walmart, no KMart, no Target, no Costco. There was definitely no Amazon or eBay, no searching the Google marketplace. (At this point my son would say, and there was no dirt either since you are older than dirt.) It was a very different commercial world! There was not a lot of importing either, and getting foreign brands was very difficult.
My maternal heritage is German. We would occasionally get treats from the "German Store" in SLC that were imported from Europe. We were fans of gummy bears LONG before they became popular - they were unknown among the typical American consumer, but the Kenison children loved them (and sometimes shared them with their friends!). "Ice Cubes" were another of our favorites - creamy smooth milk chocolate, so different from any other chocolate available, and especially better than the American stuff!
We learned to look on packages for the key phrase, "Made in West Germany" - and we knew that meant quality and excellence. Those were the days of the divided Germany, and there was great pride among those like my mother who lived in the western portion following the partitioning of World War II.
The world is smaller than it used to be. Gummy bears can be found in any grocery store and many gas stations. (Ironically and sadly, "Ice Cubes," which were found in many stores some decades ago, are less common than they used to be.)
For me, it still is a thrill when I see "Made in Germany" on the back of some of my favorite treats. What a joy to have linkages to special times in life, as these are for me. I #GiveThanks for German delicacies and for a world that continues to offer them to me!

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