and it is a high point of the week in bellmore. is followed by another tradition, the friday bonfire. the turnout shows a healthy village life in a region otherwise characterized by a dwindling population. i am on the road in the state of brandenburg in eastern germany. region arees in the dying as more and more people move away. but val moore is an exception. the village shows it is possible to buck the trend. people who were born and raised here are staying, and are being joined by new arrivals. about 100ted kilometers from berlin, not far from the polish border. of the villages 300 residents, 70 our children. it is an unusual ratio for the region. what is their secret? communism,nd of things were not very different here from other eastern and. many people lost their jobs, moved away, and the kindergarten closed. the village seemed destined for decline. ago, the firstrs exiles fleeing big city life in berlin discovered the village. houses, largeer plots, and room for creativity. -- room for creativity, imagination, and dreams of