The Transrapid, a magnetic levitation train based on a patent from 1934, was for many years the darling of technology enthusiasts in Germany. According to a decision by the federal government under Helmut Kohl, it was set to operate on a first application route from Hamburg to Berlin. Those who did not want to participate, such as the majority of the SPD, the Greens, and the PDS, were labeled as enemies of technology: First, they were against nuclear energy, then against genetic engineering, and now also against the magnetic high-speed train, was the sentiment of the industry lobbyists and the parties in the Kohl coalition. The augurs basked in self-praise: While Germany might not necessarily need this train, it would be a guaranteed export hit, with interest from Americans, Arabs, Koreans, Australians, and Chinese. However, no one would buy a product from the Germans.