In his youth, he and his friends speculated with black. During the GDR, the Society for the Trade in Vegetables and Fruits paid private individuals 4 marks for a kilogram of berries collected. However, since the trade in berries was supported by state subsidies, the berries were sold at a cheaper retail price - 2 marks. “One of us gave off a kilogram of berries, the other, an hour later, came to the store and bought that kilogram for 2 marks.”