Search This Blog

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Europe! Where goest thou?

Exactly 30 years ago, today, the "Iron Curtain" between Austria and Hungary came down. 
It signaled, unmistakably the End of the East-Block. 
All the countries, enslaved by Russian Imperialism of the Communist Variety, threw off their shackles and embraced various  forms of Democracy.
The actual and official date of this demise is pegged as the 19th August 1989.
Slowly but surely country after country, even the staunchest Communist enclave, East Germany, decided to accept a free way of life. 
It was not always easy, but the struggle continued as countries fought their way out of Russian dictatorship, sometimes violently and with much loss of blood.
The American author, James Michener, described the fate of many Hungarians fleeing from Hungary into Austria in his book: 
"The Bridge of Andau."
A small, rickety wooden bridge, but it offered freedom for thousands who were welcomed by the population of a more fortunate Austria.

What has become of Hungary, and several other countries of the then "East Block?"
Besides Hungary, there is Poland, The Czech Republic, Estonia who are moving further and further to the Right of the political spectrum.
There are several other European countries, where right wing parties have gained more and more influence: Italy, France, Denmark and Austria, to name but a few. 
Fortunately, those are still nominally "democratic" since they have free elections and to varying degrees they preserve the right of assembly and a free press.
But "the Far Right" is working hard to change this fundamentally.

Only the Future will tell.

Bertstravels
for now, will keep it a secret.



No comments: